Naomi Osaka beats Serena Williams to book spot in Australian Open women’s final

Naomi Osaka is through to her second Australian Open final in three years following a straight-sets victory over seven-time champion Serena Williams.

Osaka, the 2019 winner, ended Williams’s Melbourne Park campaign with the 6-3, 6-4 triumph on Rod Laver Arena.

The Japanese third seed, who is the reigning US Open champion, has the chance to claim back-to-back majors in Saturday’s final.

She will face Jennifer Brady in the tournament decider after the 22nd-seeded American beat Karolína Muchová 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the second semi-final.

Williams’s defeat leaves her sitting on 23…