Tennis legend, Serena Williams, defeated Naomi Osaka 6-3 6-4, the first time the pair had met since the controversial US Open final in September of 2018.

The mother of one has now progressed to the semifinals of the Rogers Cup on Friday.

Despite the loss, Osaka, who crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round last month, will return to the world No. 1 spot on Monday following Ashleigh Barty’s opening round defeat in Toronto, Guardian reports.

“I knew her game a little bit more, so that’s a little easier. I’m just overall a little bit better,” Williams said. “I know her game. I watch her a lot. I know what I need to do to hopefully try to get a win today, and it helped a little bit.

“I go into every match thinking I can do it, but sometimes that doesn’t happen,” Williams said after the match.

The 37-year-old Williams ranked 10th and seeded eighth, won the event in 2001, 2011 and 2013 – all in Toronto – and has a tournament-record 33 victories in 37 matches. She won the last of her 72 singles titles in the 2017 Australian Open.

Osaka will go from No 2 to No 1 on Monday when the new ranking is announced.