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Naomi osaka she won the 2021 Australian Open with an impressive final, and is the woman the tour is currently based on.
by Jörg Allmeroth
Last edit: February 21, 2021, 02:49 pm
© Getty Images
The scene that shaped a two-week Grand Slam in Melbourne took place at the Rod Laver Arena before the final night. It was the scene that indicated that the shift of power in world women’s tennis should be confirmed and even solidified at this Australian Open in 2021: Serena Williams was involved in that historic moment when she left the center court sad and nostalgic after her defeat in the semi-finals. . and put my hand on his heart as I said goodbye. And then there was the winner of that memorable match, Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who, laden with symbols, was simply still there when Williams left the arena.
The queen of days gone by was defeated by the new queen in the here and now. From Osaka, 23, who 52 hours later with her final 6: 4, 6: 3 victory over Jennifer Brady (USA), confidently and movingly confirmed that another era, another era has dawned in this sport. Williams’ watch has expired, and probably the chance to at least set the eternal Grand Slam record with 24 titles. And Osaka is now the determining force, the fixed star in the Grand Slam cosmos, the player who must be beaten regularly when the great and precious trophies are awarded. “This is now the Osaka era,” said old teacher Martina Navratilova, “the rest of the circuit has to align with it.” Even if Osaka is only number 2 in the black and white world rankings, also due to the special crown regulations in the calculation, it clearly takes the pole position.
Becker on Osaka: “Star for everyone with charisma and charisma”
Meanwhile, with Osaka’s impressive record in the Grand Slam (she won four of the last eight majors, won each of her finals), a certain arbitrariness and ambiguity in women’s tennis also ends. “This is clearly a new era,” said observer Boris Becker, adding how uncomfortable he had been for the past few years in women’s tennis: “Too many different winners, no clear hierarchy.” But now, according to Becker, “he is a real star there, a star for the whole world with charisma and charisma.” In purely sporting terms, Osaka, coached by Belgian Wim Fissette, shone in this unusual Grand Slam with his game design. intuitively brilliant, with power and precision, and also with cool nervous energy in challenging situations.Against the tremendously formidable Spaniard Garbine Muguruza, she even defended herself from match point in the round of 16 and probably the best tournament match ever.
What sets Osaka apart, like the greats and greatest of the past, is the quality of almost always delivering the best performance in the heightened phase of the tournament. “I love these crucial games. They bring out the strongest in me, ”says the 23-year-old, who was often underestimated by tennis fans for a long time. Because the Japanese always seemed a bit mysterious, unfathomable, and even deprived of the world off the court, they didn’t trust her to have the toughness and determination required on the job. A former ace like former number one Chris Evert has been surprised more than once, “how underrated Naomi remains: despite all her successes, despite her resourceful qualities.”
Naomi Osaka raises her voice
After her first big hits, Osaka had to grapple with the sudden prominence and captivating interest in her person. When he surprisingly fired his first coach, Sascha Bajin, he even plunged into the crisis in the huge shit storm of his own fans. But this setback was not sustainable, Osaka grew up with the test of returning to the sport. And more and more she volunteered to speak on topics that had nothing to do with the backhand, the volley, or the parry. After the scandal surrounding Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by police officers, Osaka joined national protests in the United States last summer and even refused to reach the semifinals of the Cincinnati tournament. . “Just because he often seems calm doesn’t mean he has no influence. Just because I’m humble doesn’t mean I’m not confident, ”he said on the sidelines of his successful title run at the 2020 US Open.
On center court, he now radiates a surprising sense of security and conviction, four Grand Slam victories in the first four final appearances speak for themselves. “She is someone who is comfortable on the big stage. More than ever, ”says Belgian Kim Clijsters, who has won four Grand Slam titles as the only active player alongside the Williams sisters Serena and Venus and now also Osaka. The total number Osaka will finish one day also depends on how much she can overcome her slight aversion to sand and an incredible allergy to grass. At the French Open and Wimbledon, the Japanese never made it past the third round, a stark contrast to the double title in New York and Melbourne. “I still have a lot of time. In fact, ”Osaka smiled on Saturday when asked about this imbalance,“ I’ll find my way there too. I feel like it’s just started for me. “
It’s actually just beginning, the Naomi Osaka era.
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