Jennifer Brady, the 25-year-old female American tennis player, was beaten in the women’s 2021 Australian grand slam final by the 23-year-old Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka. She won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, in 77 minutes. It is Osaka’s fourth grand slam title and the second time she has lifted the Australian crown. Her previous win was in 2019. Her other two grand slam titles were in the US Open in 2018 and 2020.
Although Brady played well throughout the competition, she had the luck of the draw on her side. Ranked number 13 in the ATP world standings, she didn’t meet a better-seeded opponent until she reached the final, where world number three Naomi Osaka waited.
Brady put up a good showing, especially considering this was her first-ever Grand Slam final. Play was level in the first set at four games all before Osaka managed to pull away to take the first set, 6-4. As the second set unfolded, it looked like Brady had lost her mojo as she went on to trail by four games to love. But the American wasn’t done. She fought back to win three games before Osaka finally took the set 6-3. It was a brave effort, but Osaka proved too good.
The Japanese had a tougher route to get to the final. She had a hard match in the fourth round against the Spanish number one ladies player, Garbiñe Muguruza. The Spaniard is a double grand slam winner, winning the French Open at Roland Garros in 2016, and the British Open at Wimbledon in 2017. She tested Osaka, who had to defend two match-points before going on to just edge the last four games, running out the 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 winner.
In the semi-final, Osaka had to face the 10th seed, Serena Williams. The 39-year-old American was hoping for her 8th Australian title. She won her first Australian crown in 2001 at the age of 19, and her last in 2017 at the age of 35, when she beat her sister, Venus.
Serena has had an exceptional career. She won her first grand slam in 1999 at the age of 17. It was the US Open, and she was the 4th youngest winner behind Tracy Austin and Martina Hingis, who were both 16 years olds, and Monica Seles, who was also 17, as was Williams, but she edged her into fourth place by three months.
Before the Australian Open got underway, local girl Ashleigh Barty was strongly fancied. Unfortunately for her, it was not to be, and she lost, unexpectedly, in the quarter-finals to the 24-year-old Czech, Karolína Muchová.
But in the end, it was Naomi Osaka who lifted the crown. As 30-year-old Serena Williams is approaching the end of her career, Osaka, who is still a spritely 23-year-old, could be the new dominating force in women’s tennis.
She only needs to up her expertise on other surfaces. All her four grand slams to date have been won on hard surfaces. Clay and grass await to be conquered, something she has to do if she is to be worthy of donning the mantle of the one to beat in women’s tennis.
