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TWITTER Naomi Osaka celebrates the final point in her Australian Open victory. |
After winning her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open over the weekend, Naomi Osaka shows signs of becoming a superstar. With each passing year, she grows more mature and more comfortable with herself.
The Japanese American tennis pro, who now lives in Los Angeles, decisively defeated fellow American Jennifer Brady. 6-4, 6-3 Saturday.
“The last time I won here I was kind of playing off anger, in a way. Just because I felt like I wanted to stamp my place on the tour,” she said of her 2019 title. “This time around I’m more at peace with where I am, and I’m honestly just happy to be playing a Grand Slam in a pandemic.”
Osaka may be the dominant force in women’s tennis. Seven-time Slam-winner Mats Wilander said he believes Osaka can win 10 Grand Slams.“I feel like Naomi Osaka is starting to form an aura around her now of almost invincibility,” on hard courts, tennis legend Chris Evert said on ESPN. “Something we’ve seen for 20, 25 years with Serena.”
Later, showing how much she has grown from earlier in career when she left press conferences in tears, Osaka brushed off the compliments. She promised not to be weighed down by “pressure and expectation” after her fourth Grand Slam victory sparked talk she could end up winning 10 majors.
Osaka becomes only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals, and will rise to second in the world rankings.
As 23-year old player matures and her career continues more victories are sure to come. The highest-earning women's player in the world hopes to be an inspiration to the next generation.
“Hopefully I play long enough to play a girl that said that I was once her favorite player,” she said.
Later, showing how much she has grown from earlier in career when she left press conferences in tears, Osaka brushed off the compliments. She promised not to be weighed down by “pressure and expectation” after her fourth Grand Slam victory sparked talk she could end up winning 10 majors.
Osaka becomes only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals, and will rise to second in the world rankings.
As 23-year old player matures and her career continues more victories are sure to come. The highest-earning women's player in the world hopes to be an inspiration to the next generation.
“Hopefully I play long enough to play a girl that said that I was once her favorite player,” she said.
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