Japan’s Naomi Osaka faced off with the Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova in the Australian Open women’s final. Not only would the winner lift the trophy they would also rise to no. 1 for the very first time.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Naomi Osaka of Japan pose for a photo prior to their Women’s Singles Final match during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Kvitova was the fan favourite after looking to win her first Grand Slam since her comeback from the home invasion injury that almost ended her career in 2016. This was their first head-to-head meeting.
Osaka, the current US Open champion, opened the serving and perhaps was feeling nervous as she served a double fault. The Japanese player composed herself and took the opening game.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a backhand in her Women’s Singles Final match against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Kvitova earns first breakpoints
In the fifth game, it was Kvitova that had the first look at a breakpoint after she had hit a blistering backhand to win the point. Osaka saved the break before Kvitova had another opportunity, she was, however, unable to convert.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic plays a backhand in her Women’s Singles Final match against Naomi Osaka of Japan during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)
The next service game for Osaka saw her down three break points but she dug deep and won five straight points to escape. As games went with serve for the remainder of the set we saw Kvitova and Osaka in a tiebreaker. It was Osaka that got on top to win the first set.
In the second set it was Kvitova that got off to the best start, holding serve and then breaking for a 2-0 lead when the Czech player blasted a forehand that her Japanese opponent was not able to return.
Osaka was not letting Kvitova take control of the set without a huge fight. Kvitova was on the edge of taking a 3-0 lead as she three times held game point only to see those points slip away. Osaka eventually worked her way to game point after a Kvitova double-fault. A backhand unforced error followed and Osaka had hit back.
The 21-year-old Japanese player went on a run of four straight games to edge closer to back-to-back Grand Slam titles, her power hitting combined with good serving then took her to 5-3 with Kvitova to serve.
Championship points slip away
Osaka had her hand on the trophy when holding three championship points in the ninth game. The Czech player would stage an amazing fightback to save the game, then break to level the set at 5-5.
Momentum had swung the way of the older player as she broke Osaka’s serve and then held serve before breaking the Osaka serve again to take out the set 7-5.
Osaka was looking rattled and you would have thought Kvitova would make a run for the title. Osaka instead was able to recompose and put up a valiant fight after Kvitova had opened the set for a 1-0 lead.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts in her Women’s Singles Final match against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
The US Open champion would hold serve then a double fault from Kvitova in the next game set up a break point which Osaka converted with a backhand winner.
In the seventh game Osaka looked to be cruising to the title, she had three breakpoints after a string of errors came from Kvitova. The Czech player would again dig her way out of that situation and won the game for Osaka to be serving at 4-3. A love service game took Osaka one game away from claiming her first Australian Open title.
After Kvitova held serve it was Osaka standing at the service line four points away from victory. She raced to three championship points after an Ace, a forehand winner then a force error. Kvitova got one point back only to see Osaka close out the match with a big serve that Kvitova returned wide.
Osaka claims her second Grand Slam title
Osaka was fairly reserved as she claimed the title and the no. 1 ranking. She had a beaming smile as she looked across to her support team and then calmly went to the net to embrace her opponent.
“It’s hurting a lot today,” said the two-time Wimbledon champion, after her 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-4 loss to Osaka. “I wanted to win and have the trophy. But I think I already won two years ago,” she added, referring to her successful comeback from a home invasion in late 2016, which left her with her serving hand severely injured and doctors unsure if she could ever return to top-flight tennis.
“For me, it’s amazing,” the 29-year-old Czech continued. “I think I still don’t really realize that I played the final. I think, I mean, I’ve been through many, many things, not really great ones. As I said on the court, I didn’t know if I’m going to hold the racquet again. I’m holding it, so that’s good”.
The final was one to be remembered. It was won rather than lost as both players were hitting quality shots and Osaka stood up when it mattered and calmly served out the match.
Champion at the US Open last summer, the 21-year-old survived a mid-match hiccup to extend her Grand Slam match winning streak to 14 straight – and became the first maiden major champion to win two in a row since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 – after two hours and 27 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
“I mean, for me, I feel like it hasn’t really sunk in,” Osaka told press afterward. “Maybe in the next tournament I play, if I see the No. 1 next to my name, I’ll feel something. But for now, I’m more happy that I won this trophy.”
“Last year I lost in the fourth round,” Osaka recalled, speaking of losing the second set. “Now this year I was in the final, so I wanted to be happy about that and just basically have no regrets about today.
“I just thought to myself that this is my second time playing a final. I can’t really act entitled. To be playing against one of the best players in the world, to lose a set, suddenly think that I’m so much better than her that that isn’t a possibility…”
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates with the trophy after beating Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the women’s final during day 13 of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Also read – Japan’s Naomi Osaka claims first Grand Slam title amid Serena coaching controversy
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