It marks Osaka's first WTA 1000 semi-final since Miami in 2022, as the Japanese former world number one needed just over an hour to secure victory over the 10th seeded Svitolina.
Iga Swiatek, who beat American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final on Saturday to win her sixth Grand Slam title.
Two-time US Open singles champion Venus Williams has received a wildcard entry into this year's tournament, organisers said on Wednesday, as the 45-year-old American continues her age-defying return to the court.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz came under extreme pressure before overcoming American Taylor Fritz 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 in a thrilling round-robin match at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, leaving the Spaniard on two wins from two.
Russian teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva continued her giant-slaying exploits at the Dubai Tennis Championships by upsetting Kazakhstani sixth seed Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals.
Maria Sharapova recovered from a second-set meltdown to record her first victory at this year's WTA Finals with a 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-2 triumph over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanksa on Friday but the Russian still bowed out of the elite eight-woman tournament.
French Open champion Coco Gauff defeated Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to reach the Wuhan Open final, her third WTA 1000 final of the year.
Elina Svitolina stretched every sinew in a brilliant display of defensive tennis to register the biggest win of her career when she rallied for a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Sloane Stephens in an enthralling WTA Finals title decider on Sunday.
Caroline Wozniacki put a huge dent in Maria Sharapova's bid to finish the season as world number one by overcoming some distracting bright lights to down the Russian 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 6-2 in their marathon opening group match of the WTA Finals on Tuesday.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-3 in the Brisbane International final on Sunday to retain the title without losing a set ahead of her bid to reclaim the Australian Open title this month.
Serena Williams shook off the rust and a feisty challenge from Serbia's Ana Ivanovic to open the defence of her WTA Tour Finals title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in the opening match of the elite eight-player tournament on Monday.
Caroline Wozniacki 0-6, 6-3, 7-5 and advance to the last four at WTA Finals on Friday, the Frenchwoman topping the Red Group after top seed Simona Halep lost later in the day.
The 2025 US Open women's singles title comes down to Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1 and defending champion, and Amanda Anisimova
The world number closed out the victory despite a few service wobbles late on, improving her win-loss record against Rybakina to 8-5.
Former World No. 2 Ons Jabeur said she was putting herself first for a change and would take control of her schedule after becoming depressed during a punishing run on tour.
Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens picked up the Doubles Team of the Year award, China's Zheng Qinwen was named Most Improved Player while Russian Mirra Andreeva won Newcomer of the Year.
The event comes at a time when tennis is facing criticism over its relentless tour schedule.
French Open champion Coco Gauff captured her third WTA 1000 title and first in Wuhan after rallying from two breaks down in the second set to defeat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 in Sunday's final.
Romania's Simona Halep kicked off her campaign for a maiden WTA Finals title in emphatic fashion with a thumping 6-0, 6-3 victory over US Open champion Flavia Pennetta in the opening match of the eight-woman season-ending tournament on Sunday.
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska secured the last remaining spot in the season-ending WTA Championships without hitting a ball after Marion Bartoli retired from her Kremlin Cup quarter-final with an illness on Friday.
A calm Sloane Stephens picked her shots to perfection to overcome Japan's Naomi Osaka in a battle between the last two US Open champions at the WTA Finals on Monday before top seed Angelique Kerber was upset by Kiki Bertens.
Factbox on American second seed Coco Gauff, who defeated Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka
Anna Kalinskaya outclassed Britain's Emma Raducanu at the Washington Open on Saturday to advance to the final, where she will face Leylah Fernandez.
'I had a deja vu moment on court. I had match point on the same side of the court, went for the same serve and was telling myself the same things. I had goosebumps, it was really special. It's great to win here again.'
The 35th-ranked Bencic did not do a lot wrong but was broken twice in the first set and three times in the second as a sizzling Swiatek brought her A-game to what turned into a one-sided contest.
Serena Williams clinched the year-end World No 1 ranking for the fourth time without hitting a ball on Friday after Maria Sharapova, the only woman with any chance of overtaking her, was eliminated from the WTA Finals.
Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player to win a WTA 1000 title when the 17-year-old beat Clara Tauson in the Dubai Tennis Championships final
With the players then facing a quick turnaround ahead of the Indian Wells main draw beginning on Wednesday, Pegula offered to fly all of them to California for the WTA 1000 tournament.
She beat Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals and then made it back-to-back wins over top 10 players as she also defeated compatriot Coco Gauff by 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals.
Russian Diana Shnaider continued her impressive winning streak in tour-level finals at the Monterrey Open on Saturday, beating compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the WTA 500 event's final.
China's Li Na will meet Serena Williams in the final of the WTA championships after beating Czech Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday, becoming the highest-ranked player ever from an Asian country.
Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit last year before Swiatek overtook her with a victory at the season-ending WTA Finals and the Belarusian hopes for a longer stay as 'N1'.
Iga Swiatek captured her first Cincinnati Open title on Monday by beating Jasmine Paolini in straight sets.
Leylah Fernandez earned the biggest win of her career as she beat Anna Kalinskaya in the Washington Open final on Sunday.
France's Boisson wins first WTA title in Hamburg
Mboko saved a match point against Kazakh ninth seed Rybakina in front of adoring home support
Making their first appearance in the WTA Finals in Singapore, Sania Mirza and Cara Black outplayed Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears in their opening match to book their semi-finals berth on Thursday.
Czech Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday called for respect and professionalism in sports media as she hit out at "unprofessional" remarks made about her appearance during a broadcast on the Tennis Channel.
The 27-year-old began working with Mouratoglou ahead of the China Open in September last year, as she sought to reignite her career following a patchy run of form after returning to the tour from a long maternity break.
Top seed Jessica Pegula survived a tough test to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a topsy-turvy Charleston Open semi-final on Saturday and will face compatriot Sofia Kenin in her fourth championship match of the season.
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