A left hamstring injury forced the 22-year-old Osaka to pull out from the final of the Western & Southern Open, which was played at the Grand Slam venue at Flushing Meadows this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Very excited about that . I'm as excited as I was last time," Azarenka told reporters after taking down Serena Williams in Thursday's semi-final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I'm sure this time we're going to get to play and it's going to be a great match. I think it's going to be an amazing final, I hope it will be. I'll have fun."
There has been no lack of fun for Azarenka at this year's U.S. Open even without the presence of fans as she has smiled and bobbed her head along to music during changeovers while maintaining a high intensity on the court. On the other hand Osaka, who has a 2-1 lead over Azarenka in completed matches, has displayed laser-sharp focus, perpetuated by her activism for the Black Lives Matter protests.