MELBOURNE (9News Nigeria) – Naomi Osaka overcame nerves, tears and a spirited challenge from double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova to claim the Australian Open title with a 7-6(2) 5-7 6-4 win on Saturday.
It was a second successive Grand Slam crown for the Japanese, after her U.S. Open triumph in September, and she became the first Asian player to claim the world number one ranking in the process.
Kvitova saved four matchpoints, showing the same resilience she needed to return to the top level of tennis after a knife attack and lengthy surgery in 2016, but her fightback fell just short.
Osaka shed tears after losing the second set from a 5-3 lead but returned to court after a washroom break calmer and more composed.
She broke Kvitova in the third game of the final set and converted her fifth matchpoint to end a superb final in two hours and 27 minutes, receiving the acclaim of the crowd in stark contrast to her last Grand Slam success.
While she had heard only boos from an angry and frustrated crowd after defeating home favorite Serena Williams in an ill-tempered U.S. Open final, on Saturday she received a proper coronation from an approving audience at the Rod Laver Arena.
“Hello, sorry, public speaking isn’t really my strong suit so I just hope we can get through this,” Osaka said after receiving the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from former champion Li Na and a winner’s cheque for A$4.1 million ($2.95 million).
“Huge congrats to you Petra, I’ve always wanted to play you and you’ve been through so much. You’re really amazing and I’m really honoured to have played you in the final of a Grand Slam.”
The 21-year-old Osaka became the youngest women’s world number one since Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who was 20 when she topped the rankings in 2010.
The fourth seed, one of the cleanest strikers of the ball in women’s tennis, also became the first player since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to win the next Grand Slam after her maiden major title.
For Kvitova, simply being in a Grand Slam final was a triumph of sorts.
She had missed the tournament two years ago while recovering from an attack by a knife-wielding home intruder that left her with a stab wound to her racket hand.
“It’s crazy, I can’t believe I just played a final of a Grand Slam again. It’s been a while in a final for me,” said an emotional Kvitova.
“But mostly thank you (to my team) for sticking with me even (if) we didn’t know if I would be able to hold this racket again.”
Osaka took the first set on a tiebreak after both players had exhibited their entire array of shots in a high-quality opening to the match.
Kvitova’s serve, which looked impregnable during the early games of the opening set, suffered a dip as Osaka took up unconventional receiving positions, forcing the Czech to make adjustments.
Osaka had won 59 straight matches after taking the first set before Saturday’s final and showed why as her serves grew bigger and the winners flowed from her racket in the second.
After an early trade of service breaks in the second set, the Czech’s confidence appeared shaken and she was broken to love before Osaka held her serve to win a fourth straight game.
But the 28-year-old Czech, who had lost just seven out of 33 career finals before Saturday, fought back with booming serves to save three matchpoints and hold for 4-5, before breaking Osaka to draw level.
A teary-eyed Osaka could not stop Kvitova’s fightback as the Czech won four straight games to win the set after the Japanese served her fourth double fault.
A break in the third game of the decider, however, proved enough for Osaka, who fell to her knees as Kvitova’s forehand went wide to hand her the title.
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9News Melbourne Live Reporting
“It felt like I was in a stage of shock during the presentation,” Osaka said. “It’s definitely sinking in as time goes on.”
Explaining the difficulty coming back after the second set:
“Of course I felt very disappointed and sad when I had those three match points. I just told myself that it’s a final, and I’m playing against Petra, she’s a great champion, I need to keep fighting, and I can’t let myself act immature,” she said.
On how she keeps her cool in big moments:
“It didn’t really come easy. I talk to my dad a lot. He’s sort of a wise guy. I tell myself to focus on things I can control. I know I’m playing against the best players in the world so I shouldn’t expect to win easy.”
Talking about her coach:
“The main reason I chose him [Sasha Bajin] was for his positivity. I’m really grateful for that and also but before I would hit erratically and now I’m more consistent and I’m just trying to do that I guess.”
Wide World of Sports✔@wwos
Japanese prodigy Naomi Osaka has claimed her first Australian Open crown and the world No.1 ranking with a drama-charged three-set victory over Petra Kvitova in their winner-takes-all final at Melbourne Park.
Osaka denied Kvitova an emotional third grand slam title and secured back-to-back majors of her own on Saturday night with a steely 7-6 (7-2) 5-7 6-4 triumph over the Czech.
In supplanting Simona Halep, the 21-year-old is the youngest player to scale the summit of women’s tennis since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010. Ranked 72nd this time last year, Osaka is also the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to land successive majors after backing up her stunning breakthrough over the American superstar in last year’s US Open final with a stylish encore at Rod Laver Arena.
Osaka threatened to mentally unravel after losing 18 of 22 points from 5-3 and 40-love up on Kvitova’s serve in the second set.
But Asia’s new sporting superstar regained her cool to take the deciding set, the match, the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and $4.1 million winner’s cheque after two hours and 27 minutes.
Kvitova hadn’t dropped a set in storming into her first grand slam final since landing her second Wimbledon crown in 2014. But she fell victim to Osaka’s fearless stand-and-deliver groundstrokes in a big-hitting and compelling final.
NAOMI OSAKA – 2019 AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION
Age: 21
Born: Osaka, Japan
Lives: Boco Raton, USA
Height: 180cm
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Ranking: 1* (when new rankings are released)
Career prize money: $A15 million
Career titles: 3
Career win-loss record: 186-120
Grand slam titles: 2 (US Open 2018, Australian Open 2019)
Grand slam win-loss record: 32-10
Australian Open win-loss record: 13-3
Best Australian Open result: 2019 champion
Coach: Sasha Bajin
“Petra I’ve always wanted to play you,” Osaka said, turning to address Kvitova during her trophy acceptance speech.
“I’m really honoured to have played you in a final of a grand slam.
“I want to thank you guys for coming and watching. Even though it’s really hot, you guys still come and show support so I want to show my gratitude to you.
“Thanks to my team. I really don’t think I would have made it through this week without you guys.”
