Naomi Osaka reached her first final in over two years with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory against Alycia Parks at the Auckland Classic on Saturday.
The 27-year-old former world number one, now ranked 57th, displayed her trademark power and precision to overcome Parks, who struggled after playing two matches in one day due to rain delays.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Australian Open winner, will face Denmark’s Clara Tauson in Sunday’s final.
Tauson advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Robin Montgomery after defeating top seed Madison Keys earlier.
Reflecting on her progress, Osaka said, “I’m really happy to make the final here. It’s a new experience for me ahead of Melbourne.”
