The entire world was watching as Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams battled it out in the finals of the US Open. After a hard fight, Osaka claimed victory 6-2 6-4 as the crowd cheered for the young Japanese player.
It’s a big win for someone so young, and she’s now the first ever Japanese Grand Slam singles champion. The second closest was Kei Nishikori, who lost the 2014 US Open against Marin Cilic. Kimiko Date-Krumm also managed to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open in the 1990s.
Osaka made her debut earlier this year in March when she won the Indian Wells event, besting Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-2. Her only other chance at a final was in 2016 in the Pan Pacific Open, where she lost against Caroline Wozniacki 7-5 6-3.
Her previous Grand Slam attempt was at the Australian Open this year, where she lost in the fourth round. But it hasn’t been the first time that the Japanese player has faced Williams in the courts: in fact, she has never lost a game to her idol. Along with the US Open victory, Osaka beat Williams 6-3 6-2 in Miami in march.
She’s also sung the praises of Serena’s sister, Venus Williams, who managed to claim victory of Osaka in Hong Kong in 2017. Her many wins this year has seen her rank drop from 68 at the start of the year to No 7 at the moment, a huge career leap.
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