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BETTING UPDATE: A majority of the betting public at DraftKings Sportsbook is betting on the underdog Williams.
UPDATE: The match has been moved to 10 p.m. ET.
Serena Williams once again looks to make history when she takes on Naomi Osaka in the semifinal of the Australian Open. The match will take place on Wednesday, February 17 and is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, per ESPN. The tenth-seeded Williams advanced with a 6-3 6-3 quarterfinal victory over No. 2 seed Simona Halep. The third-seeded Osaka advanced with a 6-2 6-2 quarterfinal win over unranked Su-Wei Hsieh
The 39-year-old Williams continues to set records every time she steps on the court, and the 23-time Grand Slam Champion has dropped only one set on her way to the semis. The seven-time Australian Open winner hasn’t won a grand slam since this tournament in 2017, and would be the second-oldest grand slam winner ever with a victory. She’s already the oldest in the Open Era, since 1968.
Osaka defeated Williams in the 2018 US Open Final, but not without controversy as Serena was penalized multiple times in the match for code violations. Williams was fined $17,000 by the tournament’s referee association, but the WTA stated its belief that Williams was not treated the same way male tennis players have been treated after similar outbursts.
The Japanese 23-year-old is looking for her fourth grand slam win and her second Australian Open after winning in 2019. The No. 3-ranked player in the world has only lost more than three games in a set to Garbiñe Muguruza this tournament.
Williams and Osaka have met four times, with Osaka winning the first two matches in 2018, and Williams taking the last two in 2019 and 2021. Right now at DraftKings Sportsbook Osaka is a -159 favorite and Williams is a +130 underdog.
Match Time, How to Watch
You can watch the 2021 Australian Open on ESPN starting at 7 p.m. ET. You can stream it on WatchESPN or via the ESPN app with a cable or streaming service login. If you don’t have a cable login to access the ESPN app, you can get a free trial from YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, or Sling TV to stream it.