Osaka into first final since 2022 ahead of Australian Open

Auckland: Former world number one Naomi Osaka reached her first final since 2022 on Saturday as she swept aside unseeded American Alycia Parks at the...

Auckland: Former world number one Naomi Osaka reached her first final since 2022 on Saturday as she swept aside unseeded American Alycia Parks at the Auckland Classic.

The four-time Grand Slam champion from Japan won 6-4, 6-2 in another confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open starting on January 12 in Melbourne.

Osaka was contesting her first semi-final since 2022, having taken a break from tennis and becoming a mother in 2023. She returned to the sport a year ago.

The 27-year-old showed no sign of the nerves that had marked her first three wins in Auckland, producing a clinical performance to set up a final on Sunday against Clara Tauson of Denmark.

"Of course I'm really happy to get to the final here, I've actually never got to a final a week before Melbourne so this is like a career first for me," said Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion now ranked 57th.