Naomi Osaka must be one of the most relatable and endearing characters in the world of Tennis.
A tensely tight 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 victory over the durable Czech Petra Kvitová in the Australian Open 2019 final, ensured that Osaka's character shone through.
Osaka's humanity shines on and off the court
Petra Kvitová made it to the final without dropping a single set. Osaka, on the other hand, dropped two in the first four rounds. In fact, most of the commentators who have been frantically fighting to post the first article about the Australian Open winner will have had draft articles detailing her demise in round three against Su-Wei Hsieh.
Osaka, a set and 4-1 down to Hsieh, looked down and out and critics were salivating over the prospect of a viewer gaining shock article.
Those people ought to be ashamed of themselves. Osaka put her head down and showed immense strength of character to stay in the game and slowly take back control. This is why she is deservedly world number 1. If asked, Osaka would probably freely admit that this was the key match in her entire tournament. She showed human frailty, but contrasting character and fight. She laughs off commentators who judge her as a mega-star, insisting that she is just human. This is what makes her a great champion.
Kvitová made Osaka work hard
With Osaka serving for the match a set and 5-3 up against Kvitová, nerves wrestled control.
The ruthless Kvitová played her best, free-swinging tennis to take the set 7-5. Critics sharpen their pencils for another Australian Open choking article, but the truth is, even had Kvitová won the match, Osaka did not choke - Kvitová simply played outstanding tennis.
In the second set, Naomi Osaka simply seemed exhausted and her concentration left her, as it can do in people.
Osaka simply took Kvitová's resurgence on the chin re-grouped and became a different player second set. 21-year-old Osaka seems to hold the key to her own box of immense talent and can open it whenever she is in trouble - as she did several times in the Australian Open 2019.
Naomi Osaka's 2nd title signals a changing of the WTA tennis guard
Younger players like Osaka, Svitolina, Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka are starting to show fight and consistency - it will make it even harder for Serena Williams to reach her 24th Slam. Obviously, following Osaka's first title: US Open 2018, everyone knew that a 2nd Slam would not be too far away. However, few expected it to come in the next Slam. This could easily signal a changing of the guard in women's tennis.