THROWBACK: Serena Williams avenges US Open loss to Osaka in Montreal

Following her loss to Naomi Osaka in the controversial 2018 US Open final, Serena Williams had the chance to redeem herself when she faced the Japanese superstar a year later at the Rogers Cup.

Seeded eighth, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was looking to return to form during the US Summer series. Having fought her way past the competition, Williams faced second-seeded Osaka in the quarterfinals.

The crowd was eager to see the ageless American once again take on her possible successor, creating an electric atmosphere that could be worthy of a Grand Slam final. Both ladies lived up to expectation, exhausting their repertoire as each tried to outdo the other. However, it was Williams who prevailed, overpowering Osaka while hitting 12 aces and not facing a single break point.

Experience prevailed over youth, as the then-37 year old defeated Osaka, cruising to a 6-3 6-4 victory. It would not be their last encounter, but was undoubtedly one of the more dominant victories in their rivalry.