Naomi Osaka beats Victoria Azarenka 1-6 6-3 6-3 to win US Open
It is Osaka’s third Grand Slam title
Azarenka was appearing in her first major final since 2013
The final was played behind closed doors on Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows, New York
Naomi Cavaday
BBC Radio 5 Live tennis commentator
Osaka has gone from somebody incredibly shy who dodged the microphone to somebody who grabs the microphone. That just shows how far she's come. She looks like a completely different player. She's out there as 'I'm one of the best players in the world'.
Image source, Getty ImagesThey have played each other three times - I won't count the walkover at Cincy aka Western & Southern.
Azarenka beat Osaka on the hard stuff in Australia... but that was in 2016.
Osaka has subsequently defeated the Belarusian twice on clay.
So it's 2-1 to the youngster.
Naomi Osaka on returning to the US Open final after winning the 2018 title here: "It is definitely something I'm very happy about, to be back here. The occasion is definitely a bit different without fans but whenever I step out on to court I want to win.
Will that success help her tonight? "I guess I will find out! I'm not sure now but hopefully it will help in moments."
Osaka wore a mask with the name of Tamir Rice as she walked on to the court - a 12-year old African-American boy, who was killed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2014 by a police officer.
Serena Williams has pulled out of next week's Italian Open with an Achilles injury that troubled her in Thursday's US Open semi-final defeat.
The 38-year-old American, as you recall, was beaten by Victoria Azarenka.
She took a medical timeout early in the third set of that match to have her left ankle re-taped because of the Achilles issue.
The Rome event, starting on Monday, is two weeks before the French Open.
Image source, ReutersVictoria Azarenka, speaking in her pre-match interview, on what she is particularly happy with this fortnight: "Just the everyday fight and everyday ability to progress, the will to progress and improve. That's what I've been most happy with.
"It is a Grand Slam final, you have to play against the best players and she is an amazing player, a very powerful player. I have to try and dictate my game."
Image source, gettyNaomi Cavaday
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra tennis commentator
I find these pre-match interviews a little bit painful.
#bbctennis
There were obviously a lot of top players missing from Flushing Meadows, but moving forward which player/players will dominate women's tennis in the next five years and why?
Azarenka and Osaka have stepped out on to the impressive court on Arthur Ashe and given their pre-match interviews. We're just a few minutes away from the big one...
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Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett flew the flag for GB as they won their fourth successive US Open wheelchair doubles title with a 6-4 6-1 win over Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer.
So as mentioned, Osaka and Azarenka were supposed play each other in the final of the Western & Southern Open a fortnight ago, but the Japanese player withdrew because of a hamstring problem.
That problem has now obviously vanished.
Osaka goes in as favourite, but Azarenka's coach Dorian Descloix said the two-time Australian Open champ is is good form.
"Physically she's ready, to be honest," he said. "She worked a lot the last few months.
"She worked every day on fitness. Even on the court we did a lot of long sessions on the court. Now she's ready."
BBC Radio 5 Live
Tune in now. We have Russell Fuller and Gigi Salmon MCing with Naomi Cavaday and Leon Smith adding some insightful insight.
Image source, ReutersThis US Open women's singles final is both box office and intriguing.
From Japan, you have Naomi Osaka. At only 22, she is already a two-time Grand Slam champion and favourite to succeed Serena Williams as the new dominant force in women's tennis. She is on a 10-match winning streak.
At the other end of the court is Victoria Azarenka from Belarus, who is also a former world number one and two-time major winner. However, her successes happened a few years back - after personal joy and troubles she, at the age of 31, is back in her first Slam final since 2013. Azarenka is on a 11-match winning streak.
The pair should have faced each other a few weeks back, now they will.