Victoria Azarenka survives mother of all battles against Serena Williams

Victoria Azarenka beat Serena Williams in the first major semi-final between two mothers, advancing to the US Open final.

Victoria Azarenka celebrates victory over Serena Williams in their US Open semi-final. Picture: Getty Images

Naomi Osaka is into the final of the US Open. She’s in tears. She’s been saluting murdered black Americans by printing their names on her face masks, and the families of the slain have been contacting her. To give thanks. To deliver well-wishes and go-get-ems. On camera, Osaka has been unblinking at Flushing Meadows but in private, she keeps weeping. For those families’ rotten fates. For the fact they care that she cares.

She’s beaten American Jennifer Brady 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-3 with a thigh strapped as heavily as Paul Sironen’s for Balmain in the 1980s. Her opponent in the championship match will be Mother Superior. We’re yet to know which of the mothers, Victoria Azarenka or Serena Williams, it will be. Osaka’s mask on Friday has been for Philando Castile, a 32-year-old shot dead by police at a Minnesota traffic stop, and while she wells up again, Azarenka and Williams step on to the quietest court on Earth. It’s the first time two members of the fairer sex, who have both brought life into the world, have contested a major semi-final.

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“Hopefully it inspires women to go after their dreams,” Azarenka says. “I feel like you can’t identify yourself as just one thing. You have many things you can do in your life. Being a parent is the most important thing in my life but I’m a tennis player, too. I’m a fighter on the court and I want to go after my dreams, my personal dreams. Inspire my child. I hope that women around the world know that they can do anything. Being a parent is the toughest thing. Once you can balance that, you can do anything.”

Normally you cannot hear yourself think inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Now you can hear a pin drop, or Brad Gilbert yapping away. When Gilbert’s courtside commentary has gone chapter and verse into Alex Zverev’s double-fault horrors and his ability to lose any match from any position, Zverev has said to him, can you please shut up? I can hear ever word you’re saying.

Williams versus Azarenka. Winner is Mother Superior. They’re peas from the same pod. Fire versus fire. Mum versus mum. You know how fighters shadow-box before they get into the ring? Williams shadow-serves. Because that’s her right hook, her knockout punch, the weapon that has always given her the wood over Azarenka. Azarenka’s win/loss against Williams is 4/18. She’s never beaten her in a major. It’s the first major semi-final between two mothers. Likely winner? “Honestly, I don’t know!” Osaka says before the pre-match interviews for Azarenka and Williams are comically brief and obvious. Victoria, what’s been the secret to your recent success? She says, “Playing better!” Victoria, how are you going to beat Serena? She says, “I’m not sure!” When Serena is cornily asked what it feels like to be an inspiration to women, to African-Americans, to mothers, et cetera, she says, “It feels great!” End of interview.

Naomi Osaka speaks after winning her US Open semi-final against Jennifer Brady. Picture: AFP

Azarenka’s career revival has been one to celebrate. She’s been through a bitter divorce and custody battle over her young son, Leo. It sent her to the brink of despair and retirement but the two-time Australian Open champion has clawed and cried and scratched and fought her way back. In a terrible emotional state a couple of years ago, she could not travel outside America because Leo was not allowed to leave the country. The only court she saw for a long time pertained to family law. I imagine that court would be more harrowing and exhausting than this one, even if the formidable figure of S. Williams was on the other side of the net.

The 23-time major champion has always been dangerous when talking about herself in the third person. Earlier this week, she said, “I’m always going to bring that fire and that passion and that Serena to the court.” Trouble. Serena also said Serena had a target on her back in every match. Double-trouble. Three noteworthy sets ensued.

Notes from the first set: Williams in living-legend mode. Crushing winners from the back and mid-court. Serving ferociously. Untouchable. Unbeatable? Osaka has turned up to watch, like in the juniors, when you win your semi-final and then go check out the other match. The entrance to Ashe has a quote from Billie-Jean King on the wall: “Pressure Is A Privilege.” Given King’s dislike of Margaret Court, the fine print would read: “Go Serena.” It’s 6-1 to Williams. She is two matches away from matching Court’s all-time record of 24. Heavy rain in New York. Falling like Court’s tears! The roof’s closed. A courtside microphone has picked up Azarenka’s assessment: “This is f…ing shit.” She’s not wrong.

Victoria Azarenka, right, with Serena Williams after their US Open semi-final. Picture: Getty Images

Notes from the second set: Intense. No apologies for net cords. Serena’s puffing like she’s going up a big hill in the Tour de France. Grunts and bloodcurdling screams. Gamesmanship from Williams. Shrieking so long after shots that she’s still making noise when Azarenka is hitting. That’s the crime against fair play she committed against Sam Stosur. Six-three to Azarenka. Williams is tired. Less fit than Azarenka. More panicked. More erratic. Less composed. More stressed. They’re getting it on like Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm.

Notes from the third set. Williams gets a medical time-out for an ankle injury. More gamesmanship? No evidence of her rolling or spraining the ankle. Trying to stall Azarenka’s momentum? Williams has limped to her chair. No limping after it. Azarenka closes her eyes at changes of ends. Very Zen. Williams throws the kitchen sink, the microwave, the toaster, all the cutlery, the dirty dishes, the trash can, last night’s pizza boxes, the kettle, the fridge, all the tea bags … but Azarenka wins 1-6 6-3 6-3. Mother Superior reaches her first major final in seven years. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, she had not won a single match for an entire year. Now Mother Superior will play Osaka off an 11-match winning streak.

Mother Superior says: “Oh, wow, it’s been seven years? That’s my favourite number, so I guess it’s meant to be. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. I’m so grateful to be able to play such a champion in the semi-finals ... I have lost to her many times before but I told myself, today is going to be different. Doubts? Hell, no.”