Petra Kvitova to face Naomi Osaka in Australian Open women's final

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Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic celebrates during the women's singles semifinal match between Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Danielle Collins of the United States at the 2019 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 24, 2019. Kvitova won 2-0 to enter the final. (Xinhua/Hu Jingchen)

The Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova is set to face young Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open women's final after both players made it through Thursday's semifinals in Melbourne's blistering hot sun.

With temperatures pushing over 40 degrees celsius when Kvitova took on world number 35 Danielle Collins in the day's first semifinal pairing, officials decided to close the roof of the Rod Laver Arena midway through the first set.

Still riding high after a dominant straight sets victory over world number two Angelique Kerber in the round of 16, the American challenger was able to match it with the two-time Wimbledon champion, pushing the first set into a tie-break.

But in the end, the experience and precision hitting of Kvitova proved the difference and Collins became visibly frustrated in the second set.

With a total of 30 winners to 9, Kvitova had all the momentum and the score finished 7-6 (7-2), 6-0.

"The first set was very tight, I was also very nervous and I couldn't fully swing," the world number six said after the match.

"It didn't matter if the roof was closed, I was still going to fight. I'm glad that my game from previous matches arrived in the tie-break and second set."

"Finally, I have made it deep here at this major and I will enjoy the final. Whatever happens I'm already very, very happy, I love playing finals!" Kvitova added.

In today's other semifinal contest, Naomi Osaka and Czech world number seven Karolina Pliskova put on spectacular three-set thriller.

Despite a strong start from last year's U.S. Open champion in the first set, Pliskova mounted a fight-back in the second.

With fans on the edge of their seat and the recent memory of Pliskova coming back from 5-1 down in the third set of her quarterfinal match-up against 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, the stage was set for an epic deciding last set.

But Osaka managed to get the break and serve out the match with the score ending 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

"I played her so many times and she's beat me more times than I've beat her, so I expected a really tough hard battle," Osaka said after the match.

"I just told myself to regroup and no matter what just try as hard as I can and I managed get the to win."

"But I was so scared serving my second serve," the 21-year-old added. "But I guess that is just experience."

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