Over four months since her U.S. Open win catapulted her into the realms of tennis¡¯ elite, Naomi Osaka at last got to have a true moment in the spotlight.
She was deprived of such a moment in New York in September, her win having been largely marred by a series of tirades by legend Serena Williams against the chair umpire. But there were no boos Saturday night in Melbourne as Osaka solidified her position at the top of women¡¯s tennis with a nail-biting 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 win over the Czech Republic¡¯s Petra Kvitova in the Australian Open final, making her the first Asian woman to top the WTA or ATP singles rankings.
Osaka¡¯s eyes welled up with tears once again during her victory speech, but this time they were of joy, in contrast to the emotions she exhibited as the pro-Williams U.S. Open crowd derided the chair umpire with jeers that spilled over into the trophy presentation following a controversy-filled match.
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