Dominant Naomi Osaka books place in Canadian Open semifinals

Osaka is on course to be seeded at the 2025 US Open after producing her best result at a WTA 1000 event since 2022 with a run to the semi-final of the Canadian Open.

The former world No. 1 started the Montreal tournament at No. 48 in the WTA Rankings, but she is projected to rise 20 places to No. 29 following her quarter-final victory over Svitolina - and she could jump to as high as No. 21 if she wins the title.

But for now the No. 29 will be good enough to be seeded at the US Open, although there is still one big tournament - the Cincinnati Open - to come before the seedings are confirmed.

"I think I am going to be seeded at the US Open now because I won my match. That was a really big goal for me and I am just really excited. If anyone tunes in, my outfit is going to be super fire," Osaka said.

The last time she was seeded was at the 2022 Australian Open and, after missing the 2023 season while on maternity leave, Osaka slumped to outside the top 600 before making her way back up in the past 18 months.

Her decision to appoint Iga Swiatek's former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski as her new mentor following her split with Patrick Mouratoglou appears to be working wonders.

The four-time Grand Slam winner appears to have regained her best form as she has taken out 13th seed Luidmila Samsonova, 23rd seed Jelena Ostapenko, the unseeded Anastasija Sevastova and now Svitolina in Canada.

After hammering Sevastova 6-1, 6-0, she followed it up with an equally comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over Svitolina to reach the last four of the Canadian Open for the first time with her previous best result at the tournament a quarter-final appearance in 2019.

The last time she reached the semi-final of a WTA 1000 event was at the 2022 Miami Open.

"I think for me, I'm just having a lot of fun playing and I'm really glad to be here," the Japanese star said after the match.

"Someone told me it's been seven years [since I've played here in Montreal], so I just want to thank you guys for having me."

Osaka will face Clara Tauson - who upset second seed Swiatek in the fourth round - for a place in the final after the 16th-seeded Dane defeated reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4 to reach her second career WTA 1000 semi-final following her run to the final in Dubai earlier in 2025.

It will be the second career meeting between the two with Tauson emerging victorious in Auckland in January after Osaka retired after winning the opening set.

"She's really tough. I played her in Auckland this year and I had to stop halfway because I was injured," Osaka said. "So, I'm really excited that I'm healthy and I hope that it's a good match for everyone that comes and watches."

READ MORE: Veteran Broadcaster honoured by GSport Award nomination