Naomi Osaka surges into US Open semi-final by thrashing Lesia Tsurenko

Naomi Osaka needed just 57 minutes to defeat Lesia Tsurenko at the US Open to race into her first grand slam semi-final.

In a meeting between two first-time slam quarter-finalists it was Osaka who produced much the better display, winning 6-1 6-1.

The 20-year-old Japanese-American has been earmarked as a future star for several years and made her big breakthrough earlier this season by winning the big WTA Tour event in Indian Wells.

But this has been her best run on the biggest stage and, after a real battle in the last round against fellow young gun Aryna Sabalenka, Osaka returned to her dominance of the first three matches.

She said: “It means a lot. I was freaking out inside. My entire body was shaking so I was really glad I was able to play well today.”

Osaka had lost just seven games in reaching the fourth round and was simply far too good for Tsurenko, who struggled badly in the heat in beating Marketa Vondrousova two days ago and could not find anything like her best form here.

The heat was again intense and the Ukrainian, through to this stage for the first time in her 29th slam, could not find her first serve and hit 31 unforced errors compared to just 10 winners.

Osaka, who next faces either Madison Keys or Carla Suarez Navarro, is the first Japanese woman to reach the last four at a slam since Kimiko Date at Wimbledon 22 years ago.