MELBOURNE, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Naomi Osaka gave Jennifer Brady a lesson in Grand Slam tennis as she cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 win to safe her second Australian Open title on Saturday and cement her standing as the brand new queen of the ladies’s recreation.
Osaka’s victory over the Twenty second-seeded American at a floodlit Rod Laver Enviornment gave the Japanese third seed her fourth main crown on the age of 23. Followers hoping for a repeat of the pair’s engrossing U.S. Open semi-final final 12 months had been left disillusioned as Brady froze within the highlight of her first Grand Slam remaining.
U.S. Open champion Osaka performed a way wanting her greatest tennis and joined Brady in contributing to a dour, error-strewn first set. However she settled to clinch six straight video games, roaring to a 4-0 lead within the second earlier than serving out the match to like.
An enormous serve sealed it, inflicting Brady to fireplace a forehand return lengthy, and Osaka held her racket over her head and beamed in an understated celebration. Osaka, who gained the 2019 event, provided Brady heat congratulations and thanked the followers on the trophy ceremony.
“Once we performed within the semis of the U.S. Open, a few months in the past, and I instructed everybody that ‘Hear you’re going to be an issue’. And I used to be proper,” stated Osaka, who will probably be world quantity two when the rankings are up to date.
“It feels actually unimaginable for me. I didn’t play my final Grand Slam with followers so simply to have this power it actually means loads.”
On a cool and breezy evening at Rod Laver Enviornment, Osaka warmed up with two aces as she served out the opening recreation to like however the blazing begin fizzled out in a stream of errors from each gamers. Grappling with early nerves, Brady dropped serve after two double-faults however shortly broke again when Osaka double-faulted to reward a break level.
Brady breathed some life into the competition at 4-4, luring Osaka in with a drop-shot, then scrambling ahead to retrieve and lob her for break level.
Osaka canceled it nervelessly with an imperious forehand winner launched from the baseline.
Brady stored providing Osaka items from her racket.
Serving to remain within the set at 5-4, she double-faulted then slapped a wild forehand over the baseline to cough up set level. Brady fired down an enormous serve that Osaka may solely return quick, then stepped in to pound what ought to have been a easy forehand winner straight into the online. The group groaned and Brady went to her chair ashen-faced.
Osaka stepped up the stress, breaking Brady once more after establishing the prospect with a luxurious crosscourt backhand winner. She charged on to a 4-0 lead earlier than Brady belatedly conjured some resistance to interrupt Osaka in opposition to the movement of play.
The American clawed again to 5-3 however bowed out as she began, smashing wild returns to permit Osaka to serve out the match with out bother. Though it was a troublesome first Grand Slam remaining for Brady, she broke new floor in a exceptional run after being one of many 72 gamers unable to coach throughout their two-week laborious quarantine within the lead-up.
“First I wish to congratulate Naomi on one other Grand Slam title,” stated the 25-year-old. “She’s such an inspiration to us all and what she’s doing for the sport is wonderful and getting the game on the market and I hope younger ladies at residence are watching and are impressed by what she’s doing.”
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