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We have arrived at the US Open's final four. The women begin proceedings Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, and our picks to reach the final are in.

Brady’s run to the US Open semifinal has been nothing short of outstanding. In her five comprehensive victories this week, only one player, Yulia Putintseva, has won more than three games in a set.

Brady is hitting her forehand better than anyone in the tournament, and has racked up 109 winners compared to just 64 unforced errors. Thanks to an intense offseason in Germany with new coach Michael Geserer and fitness trainer Daniel Pohl, Brady is fitter and faster than ever, physically and mentally outlasting her opponents while simultaneously hitting them clean off the court.

But things are about to get more difficult. Brady is in uncharted territory, while her semifinal opponent, Naomi Osaka, is not. The 2018 US Open Champion is 19-3 at Flushing Meadows in her career, and while the oddsmakers list her as a solid favorite, she is well aware of how dangerous Brady can be.

"She's a really amazing player," Osaka said of Brady. "She has the variety I wish I had, so I'm really jealous."

The American’s forehand racquet-head speed is second to none, which allows her to create sharp angles and stretch her opponents far off the court. She can also crack sharp inside-out winners as well.

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When given time on the forehand, make it or miss it, Brady aims to end the point. But she has yet to face a player this season who can both absorb and redirect pace like Osaka. It’s almost as if the harder you hit at Osaka, the more comfortable she feels.

Dating back to her quarterfinal match in Lexington, I’ve picked Brady to win her last eight matches, and she’s delivered each time. But now that the stakes higher than ever, expect Osaka, who has never lost at a major once reaching the quarterfinal stage, to use experience to her advantage. And with extra motivation represented by her on-court masks, honoring Black victims of violence, it's hard to see anyone standing in Osaka's way of accomplishing a mission that extends well beyond winning a major title.

The Pick: Osaka

US Open WTA semifinal previews: Serena vs. Azarenka, Osaka vs. Brady

US Open WTA semifinal previews: Serena vs. Azarenka, Osaka vs. Brady

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USTA

There was a time in the not-so-distant past where the thought of Wiliams and Azarenka facing off in a Grand Slam semifinal might have seemed far-fetched, but as we’ve seen so many times in 2020, anything can happen.

Azarenka has spent the bulk of the past four years ranked outside the Top 50, but judging by her merciless 6-1, 6-0 destruction of Elise Mertens, she is officially back. She’ll now face Serena, her greatest rival, for the 24th time in the tournament’s biggest blockbuster yet.

When asked how she felt about her performance against Mertens, the two-time Australian Open winner responded, “Umm, I don’t know but that was pretty good. I executed my plan.”

While Azarenka’s 4-18 record against the GOAT isn’t necessarily grounds for a rivalry, for many years it felt like Azarenka was the only player capable of beating Serena on the game’s biggest stages. Still, she’s never beaten Serena at a major, but she just might snap the skid on Thursday night. There’s no doubt that the fan-less Arthur Ashe Stadium is a boon to the underdog, especially one facing a crowd favorite of Serena’s caliber.

Serena won’t get a day off prior to her semifinal match against Azarenka, but it might be for the best. The 23-time major champion came out as flat as a pancake in her quarterfinal against Tsvetana Pirinkova, falling behind a set and a break before recovering to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

There are no secrets between these two champions. In a match-up that has spanned 12-plus years and brought together the two former No. 1s at all four majors, they have seen each other from every angle. They've delivered some of the best US Open finals we've ever seen in both 2012 and 2013. History is on Serena’s side, but Azarenka has found herself in the holiest of all places for an athlete—the zone. It’s safe to expect another classic encounter, but this time, the match might be on Azarenka’s racquet.

The Pick: Azarenka

US Open WTA semifinal previews: Serena vs. Azarenka, Osaka vs. Brady

US Open WTA semifinal previews: Serena vs. Azarenka, Osaka vs. Brady