WTA 250 Auckland: Osaka and Tauson qualify for the final
Despite poor weather conditions in New Zealand, the Auckland tournament went ahead as planned, and although two quarter-finals had been postponed until Saturday, the delay was made up.
After the defeat of Madison Keys, the tournament's number 1 seed, in the quarter-finals against Tauson, it was time for the semi-finals.
Naomi Osaka, who had done very well so far, faced Alycia Parks. After a match lasting 1h12, it was the Japanese who prevailed (6-4, 6-2).
The four-time Grand Slam winner lost just one set in the tournament (to Baptiste in the quarters) and will be playing in her first WTA final since the Miami 2022 Masters 1000, where she was beaten by Swiatek.
In the final, Osaka will face Clara Tauson. The Dane, who eliminated Keys, followed up her semi-final on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Robin Montgomery.
This will be the fourth WTA final for Tauson, ranked 50th in the world, and her first since 2021.
She will be looking to add a third title to her trophy cabinet, following those won in Lyon in 2021 and at the Luxembourg Open the same year.
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