While most Americans were sleeping soundly, across the world, Naomi Osaka was winning the last point in the 2021 Australian Open, the point that gave her the victory over Jennifer Brady and her most recent Grand Slam title.
After winning the first set, Osaka pushed through a Brady point-break with a winning cross-court forehand. Brady committed two errors which quickly made it 5-4. With her last attempt to save, Brady netted a forehand on a short ball.
When questioned about that mistake, Brady said, “Happens maybe one in ten times, or hopefully less.” It was clearly, not part of the American’s game plan.
But that is what Osaka does in her biggest moments, show up. Once she emerged ahead 4-0 in the second set, her opponent never seemed to stand a chance. Jennifer Brady is not unfamiliar with the unrelenting Osaka as a competitor. Earlier in September, Brady’s only major semifinal appearance ended in being knocked out by Osaka in three sets at the U.S. Open. Unfortunately for her, this time did not end much differently.
“She plays so aggressive that she puts so much pressure on you to perform well,” Brady said of Osaka, “[that is] something that not every tennis player has the ability to do.”
In their matchup, Osaka’s serves reached a speed of 122 MPH and produced six aces. Returns on her serves helped to create six breaks. This well-fought victory extends Osaka’s win streak to 21 matches.
Osaka, the AP 2020 Female Athlete of the Year, has now won every Grand Slam final she has ever played in, a record of 4-0, becoming the first woman to win her first four major finals since Monica Seles accomplished the feat 30 years ago.
When asked about her journey this year through the Australian Open, Osaka had a lot of credit to give to the female tennis legends who came before her. In particular, Serena Williams, whom she defeated in the semifinals on Thursday night.
“I was a little kid watching her play,” she said of Williams, “and just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream…It is always an honor to play her”. She has mentioned in the past that one of her motivators in games and in training was the mantra “WWSD: What Would Serena Do?” To say Williams inspired Osaka as a blossoming athlete would be an understatement.
Although Serena Williams ran the sport for nearly 20 years and has placed herself in the conversion as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Naomi Osaka has clearly emerged as the new face of women’s tennis and the person to beat.
But, the 23-year-old has made it clear that one of her long-term goals is bigger than wins and titles. She wants to last long enough in the game to face an opponent she has inspired in return.
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