The final many people were hoping for is here. Osaka will finally get to match up against Azarenka. This was supposed to be the final in Cincinnati, however, Osaka had to pull out with injury.

Before we get into the details of the final, let’s give it up for Jennifer Brady. I thought she was going to be toast against Osaka. That was definitely not the case. She held her own against the best of the best for three sets. There are good things on the horizon for Brady.

As for Serena, she came out strong in the first set, but was unable to keep the same intensity into the second and third sets. On the other hand, Azarenka showed patience, and proceeded to take ownership of baseline rallies for the remainder of the match.

So, what will this final look like?

For one, it will be a brawl from the baseline. Both these women can hit with purpose from the baseline and are incredibly athletic. That being said, Osaka will have the edge in the hard-hitting department. Azarenka will have to be careful with her second serve and needs to try and move Osaka around with deep groundstrokes. This match may look like the Serena/Azarenka match, but with Osaka being able to match the intensity into the second set. If that’s the case, this will be a short affair for Azarenka.

If Azarenka is able to serve a high percentage of first serves, and deep second serves into the angles, she may have a chance. Osaka will pounce on the Azarenka second serve and will do it with consistency within multiple sets. If Azarenka can serve well, she’s got a chance at getting into Osaka service games.

That may be a pretty tall task for Azarenka though. Osaka is looking too strong in this year’s US Open and is able to put a lot of pressure on her opponents with her raw power, consistency and placement.

My Pick: Osaka will win her second US Open in straight sets.

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