Naomi Osaka and Daria Kasatkina through to Indian Wells final after upset wins

Unseeded Japanese Osaka overcame world No 1 Simona Halep 6-3 6-0 while Kasatkina beat Venus Williams 4-6 6-4 7-5

The Japanese was made to work hard in a final game (Getty)

Naomi Osaka and Daria Kasatkina will go head to head for the BNP Paribas Open title after stunning Simona Halep and Venus Williams respectively in the semi-finals at Indian Wells on Friday.

Unseeded Japanese Osaka overcame world No 1 Halep 6-3 6-0, winning nine straight games from 3-3 in the first set to dump the top seed out of the competition.

Having stormed to the brink of victory, Osaka was made to work hard in a final game which included six deuces before she got over the line on her third match-point.


 Kasatkina has beaten four major champions, and current top-20 players, at Indian Wells this month 
 (Getty)

Osaka's opponent in the final is fellow 20-year-old Kasatkina, the 20th seed from Russia, who earlier defeated American eighth seed Williams 4-6 6-4 7-5.

Kasatkina has beaten four major champions, and current top-20 players, at Indian Wells this month - Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Williams.

Speaking on court after the match, she said: "It's crazy actually this night. We played almost three hours - incredible match."

She added at her post-match press conference, quoted by wtatennis.com: "Match like this, you're just speechless.

"Even (when) I meet my coach and my brother after the match, I was not able to say anything. I was just, like, 'Aaaaah, okay, that was pretty nice'. Too many emotions and you cannot explain everything."

PA