[Singles Semifinal]
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-1, 6-4 Katie Boulter (GBR)

■Siniakova won the first five games to start the match. The second set was more closely contested, but she broke Boulter’s serve at 4-4 and went on to close out the match in straight sets with a composed and disciplined performance. The ninth game of the second set featured seven deuces, and Siniakova admitted that it was a game she desperately wanted to win.

■“I could see that she was struggling, and I felt that winning that game would completely change the momentum of the match. I’m glad I managed to win it,” she said. “The balls and the court were fast, and I was just trying to keep the rallies going for as long as possible. I think I managed to do that well,” Siniakova remarked. There may have been a touch of modesty in her assessment. Having traveled directly from the WTA tournament in Wuhan, China, she said she had not had enough time to prepare properly. Nevertheless, she found the relatively fast surface at Utsubo in Osaka suits her game.

■This is Siniakova’s first tour-level singles final in three years. “I’m really happy. I’ve played in several doubles finals, but it’s been difficult for me to reach a final in singles,” she said with a smile. Siniakova was a runner-up in 2016 at the Hashimoto Sogyo Japan Women’s Open, the predecessor of the current tournament, making this her first final appearance here in ten years. “That was my first final, so I was really happy. It’s a very good memory, although the match itself left me with bitter feelings,” she said recalling her 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Christina McHale of the United States. With a smile, Siniakova added, “Hopefully, things will go well this time.”

(Japan Tennis Association)