Moments after advancing to Saturday’s U.S. Open final, Japanese-American Naomi Osaka blurted her motivation: “I just really want to play Serena.”
Be careful what you wish for.
As surprising as Serena Williams’ easy march to the Open final became one year after blood-clot complications following childbirth, it’s a real stunner the 20-year-old Osaka is still standing. Osaka overcame a horrible Open tuneup season that left her crying three weeks ago in the Cincinnati locker room.
At Williams’ first Open in 1999, Osaka was 11 months old. Nineteen years later, Williams vies to tie Margaret Court’s record 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
“She sees her as the queen she wants to emulate and compete against,’’ Osaka’s physio, Abdul Sillah, told The Post, wearing a Yankees ballcap following the semifinal victory over Madison Keys. “What better person to test yourself against than the greatest of all time.”
Each equipped with a big forehand and serve, this could be a classic — even a passing-of-the-torch moment. That’s how electric Osaka has looked this fortnight after bursting to prominence by winning the prestigious Indian Wells in March.
“Surreal,’’ said Osaka, who was born in Japan, has Haitian blood and lived in the U.S. since she was 3. “Even when I was a little kid, I always dreamed that I would play Serena in a final of a Grand Slam. I should still think of it as another match. Yeah, I shouldn’t really think of her as, like, my idol.’’
Osaka, who lived in Elmont, L.I., before moving to Boca Raton at age 10, blasted Williams in straight sets at the Miami Open on March 21. She rides a straight-set thumping of Madison Keys in Thursday’s semifinals.
“I think if she plays like she did tonight, she can definitely give Serena a run for her money,’’ Keys said. “It will be a really good match. I’m for sure going to watch it.”
She seems younger than her age, carrying a youthful innocence. When asked in her dream if she won the Williams match, Osaka said, beaming: “You already know. I don’t dream to lose, so.”
Even though she made the Wimbledon final, Williams still seems surprised to be in this spot again. But she discounts the Miami loss as being too early in her comeback from motherhood and the life-threatening pulmonary embolism that required four surgeries.
“I’m still waiting to get to be the Serena that I was, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be that physically, emotionally, mentally,’’ Williams said. “But I’m on my way. I feel like I still have a ways to go. I just feel like my future is bright, even though I’m not a spring chicken.’’
Meanwhile, Osaka’s arrival hasn’t come without streakiness. She lost her first match in three straight Open tuneups. Her coach is Sascha Bajin, who once was in Williams’ camp.
“A lot of people counted her out because of the last few tournaments,’’ said Sillah, who also trains Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks. “We had a talk about that. She was ready for this tournament. She’s more focused on achieving her goal and mission. We all go through slumps mentally. Indian Wells, success came so early at a young age. Everything happened so fast. She was trying to deal with that.’’
Now Osaka will deal with an attempt to deny history.
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