Australian Open: Naomi Osaka tops Petra Kvitova to enter history books
Failing to reach the quarter-final in the first ten Grand Slam main draws she entered, the 21-year-old Naomi Osaka has now won back-to-back Grand Slam titles, defeating the 8th seed Petra Kvitova 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 27 minutes to lift the second big crown after the US Open last September. The Japanese is the first player with two Grand Slam crowns in a row since Serena Williams who conquered Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2015, winning 14 straight Grand Slam matches and 60 overall on the WTA Tour after taking the opening set! Osaka is also the first player since Jennifer Capriati who won a Grand Slam title right after the maiden one (the American did that at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2001) and the very-first Asian world no. 1, the youngest one since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.
Leading 7-6, 5-3, Naomi wasted three match point on the return in the ninth game when her game collapsed, dropping four straight games to hand the set to her rival and having to start all over in the decider. There, she broke in the third game to keep the lead throughout the set and bring the match home, celebrating one of the most important wins of her career so far that propelled her to the WTA throne. In their first meeting on the Tour, two rivals pushed each other to the limits all the time, showing why they have reached the title match. In the end, Osaka managed to tame her shots more efficiently, winning four points more than Kvitova and making all the difference with that single break in the final set.
The Japanese finished the match with 33 winners and 33 unforced errors while Petra hit the same number of winners and six unforced errors more, losing serve three times from 14 opportunities she gave to the youngster. On the other hand, Kvitova also grabbed three breaks of serve from ten chances although it wasn't enough to drive her towards the finish line despite a great effort. The Czech had five break points in games three and five that could have given her an early lead but Naomi repelled them all to stay on the positive side of the scoreboard, wasting two set points on the return in the 12th game to reach the tie break, the best way to finish the high-quality opener.
Osaka won it 7-2 after a backhand error from Kvitova, gaining a massive boost before the rest of the encounter. They traded breaks at the start of the second set before Osaka broke at love in game five, creating three match points on the return at 5-3. Petra gave her best to fends them off and this turned the impulse to her side of the net, losing just one point on the return in games 10 and 12 to rattle off four straight games and steal the set 7-5. Still, Naomi bounced back and secured the break at 1-1 in the third set, painting a backhand crosscourt winner that gave her the pivotal advantage.
Kvitova saved three break points in game six to remain within one break deficit but that was all she could do, as Naomi sealed the deal with a service winner in game ten for her second Major title.
Final result:
[4]Naomi Osaka (JPN) vs [8]Petra Kvitova (CZE) 7-6(2) 5-7 6-4
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2FR1g5P
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