A confidant Naomi Osaka wins her fourth Grand Slam

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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.

With Australian Open title, Naomi Osaka climbs to No. 1 ranking in women's tennis

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Naomi Osaka is the new queen of tennis.

She beat Petra Kvitova to win the Australian Open this morning (Jan. 26) in a thrilling comeback and now has become the first Asian woman or man to be ranked No. 1 in professional tennis, reports The Telegraph.

The Japan-born, 21-year-old Japanese Haitian immigrated to the United States at the age of three. She lives and trains in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

It was not a dominating win. The 3-set match between the two women was a dramatic see-saw  final for the Australian Open. Osaka entered the tournament with a No. 4 seed. Kvitova was No. 8.

Despite squandering three match points at 5-3 in the second set, the Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, regrouped to beat Petra Kvitova 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 to win a dramatic Australian Open final. Her second consecutive grand slam title ensures she will be the new world No 1. On Saturday, the tears flowed again at the end of a high quality, see-saw final, in which she lost her way and then found it again.

As Kvitova’s final forehand return flew wide, Osaka fell to her haunches, her head in her hands. 'I still feel very shocked,' Osaka said.

Kvitova overcame three match points in the second set to win four games in a row and win the set. In the end, Osaka persevered, winning the championship 7-6, 5-7, 6-4.

It was Osaka's second straight Grand Slam title since four months ago when she won the U.S. Open, beating Serena Williams to boos from a crowd that was upset about controversial calls from an umpire.

This time there was no such controversy. Just as in the U.S. Open, Osaka was gracious in victory.

“Sorry, public speaking isn’t really my strong side. I just hope I can get through this… Huge congrats to Petra, I always wanted to play you. You’ve been through so much and I honestly wouldn’t want this to be our first match,” Osaka said in her remarks to the crowd after the match.

“You’re really amazing and I’m so honored to have played you. 

“To my team, I don’t think I would have made it through this week behind you guys. Behind a tennis player is always a team so I’m really grateful.

“I read notes before this but I’ve still forgotten what I’m supposed to say. I’m really honored to play in this final so thank you.”

“Women’s tennis is very open. You really never know who going to be there. But definitely she’s playing great game,” Kvitova said to ESPN. “She’s really big player, as she showed in the results, winning the US Open and Australian Open, it’s an amazing achievement.”

Congratulations poured in from fellow tennis professionals:

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

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