Andy Brownbill/Connected Press
Naomi Osaka maintained her dominance at onerous-court majors by defeating Jennifer Brady in straight devices within the 2021 Australian Originate ladies’s singles closing.
Osaka claimed her fourth Extensive Slam title Saturday by defeating the American, 6-4, 6-3, inside of Rod Laver Arena.
The 23-year-extinct’s four Extensive Slam championships accumulate all came about on onerous courts. She obtained the 2019 Australian Originate and 2018 and 2020 U.S. Opens.
Saturday’s victory extended Osaka’s winning go to 21 and persevered her ideally suited file in quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of Extensive Slams, as WTA Insider highlighted:
WTA Insider @WTA_insider
Naomi Osaka is the 2021 Australian Originate champion.
@naomiosaka defeats Jennifer Brady 64 63.
The World No.3 wins her 4th predominant title, tallies her 21st consecutive take dangle of, and is now 12-0 when she reaches the quarterfinal stage at a Slam.
#AusOpen https://t.co/4WrFHfmuw7
Right here is the 2nd time Osaka has obtained assist-to-assist majors in her profession. Osaka and Serena Williams are the correct ladies to take dangle of consecutive majors since 2010.
To reach the closing, Osaka had to navigate the more difficult aspect of the ladies’s singles arrangement. She defeated two Extensive Slam champions in Williams and Garbine Muguruza, to boot to No. 27 seed Ons Jabeur.
Osaka joined Williams among a uncommon series of ladies’s singles gamers who accumulate obtained majors in four straight seasons, per NBC Sports’ Nick Zaccardi:
Osaka, Williams, Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters originate the minute series of energetic ladies on the WTA Tour who accumulate obtained four majors. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the correct energetic males with four or extra Extensive Slam titles, per Ben Rothenberg of the Unusual York Conditions:
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg
Naomi Osaka joins truly elite firm by winning her fourth Slam title, beating Brady 6-4, 6-3 for her 2nd #AusOpen title.
Energetic gamers with four or extra Slam singles titles:
Serena Williams
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic
Venus Williams
Kim Clijsters
Naomi Osaka
The 23-year-extinct joined an even smaller list by winning her first four predominant finals. Easiest Monica Seles and Federer also reached that milestone within the Originate Generation, per Rothenberg:
There are a whole lot of consultants who mediate Osaka is great actual getting started along with her predominant haul. ESPN’s Chris Evert mentioned Osaka is “breaking faraway from the pack” (h/t TSN Tennis):
Since Osaka obtained her first predominant title at the 2018 U.S. Originate, she is the correct lady to accumulate obtained a pair of Extensive Slams. Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep, Bianca Andreescu, Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek each and every accumulate a single triumph in that stretch.
While she is famous as the preeminent onerous-court player, Osaka has of venture to create bigger her dominance to the varied surfaces. ESPN’s Brad Gilbert valuable that Wimbledon wants to be the next predominant Osaka tries to take dangle of and argued there is “no rationalization why she obtained’t enhance on clay.”
Brad Gilbert @bgtennisnation
Double Osaka is the usual-or-garden remarkable champion ????and seems fancy she is about to dominate the ladies’s game. Fully no rationalization why she obtained’t enhance on clay and @Wimbledon would possibly perchance perchance perhaps perhaps simply silent next one ?? up that she would possibly perchance perchance perhaps perhaps simply silent fetch amount 5
Osaka has no longer gotten past the third round at the French Originate or Wimbledon, but if she improves on clay and grass within the impending years, she has of venture to take dangle of over the ladies’s game.
