Naomi Osaka has won the Australian Open and moved to No. 1 in the WTA rankings after a 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-4 win over Petra Kvitova in a final for the ages.
Osaka's win was just as dramatic as her U.S. Open victory over Serena Williams four months ago — but for vastly different reasons.
The Japanese player was up a set and a break and had three championship points, but Kvitova produced the greatest service hold of her decorated career to fight back from 0-40 down and win the second set.
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At 21, Osaka becomes the youngest world No. 1 since Caroline Wozniacki rose to the top in 2010.
She is also the first player since 2001 to follow up her debut Grand Slam victory with a win at the very next major. Jennifer Capriati won her first Grand Slam title at that year's Australian Open, before backing it up at the French Open.
Kvitova, who was close to retiring after suffering severe hand injuries during a home invasion two years ago, thanked her team in an emotional post-match speech.
"I never thought I'd play in the final of a Grand Slam again," Kvitova said afterwards.
"It was a great final. Well done to Naomi and her team.
"To my team, thanks for sticking with me when I didn't know if I would be able to hold a racquet again.
Every single day, staying supportive and staying positive. Thank you so much."
The 2019 final remained on serve for the first four games of the match, before Kvitova earned two break point opportunities on Osaka's third service game.
The reigning U.S. Open champion managed to hold serve and earned her first break point opportunity one game later, but she couldn't convert either.
Kvitova had three break point chances at 3-3, but couldn't get over the line.
As the first set went past 45 minutes, Osaka had two set points while up 6-5, but Kvitova fought her way to level it up at 6-6.
Osaka's power and pressure showed out in the tie break, with the 21-year-old claiming it 7-2. It was the first set Kvitova had lost all tournament. Prior to Osaka, the last player to take a set off her was Ash Barty in the final of the Sydney International two weeks ago.
Kvitova earned the first break of serve in the second game of the second set, but Osaka immediately broke back.
Osaka's immense power earned her another break, and it looked like just a matter of time before she was lifting her second major trophy.
Up 5-3 in the second set, Osaka had three championship points, but couldn't convert any of them as Kvitova earned one of the biggest service holds of her career.
Having looked so poised throughout the final, Osaka was hit with nerves while serving for the match. She missed shots she'd been nailing earlier and double faulted to give Kvitova a break point chance.
With the title on the line, the two-time Wimbledon champion made no mistakes and got the match back on serve.
With Kvitova up 6-5, Osaka served to stay in the second set, but faltered again. She went down 0-40 and served another double fault as Kvitova levelled it up at a set apiece.
Having been tantalisingly close to the title, Osaka took a bathroom break after second set to compose herself.
Showing serious mental strength, Osaka broke Kvitova early on in the deciding set, but her more experienced opponent simply refused to be beaten. Down 4-2 in the set, Kvitova faced three break points, but again fought back from 0-40, securing a brave service hold with an ace down the T.
Osaka went all out trying to take the win on Kvitova's serve at 5-3, but couldn't quite make her shots as Kvitova forced her to serve for the match again.
This time, she made no mistakes, holding her nerve to take the title.
It had been a dominant Open for Osaka, who had served 50 aces going into the final. That number is 23 more than Karolina Pliskova in second spot.
Osaka also claimed 114 return point wins and 28 breakpoints on her way to the final.
Prior to this month, Osaka had never made it past the fourth round of the Australian Open. Unbelievably, her fourth round appearance at Melbourne Park last year was Osaka's best finish at a major before her break through U.S. Open success in September.
Ranked 72nd in the world this a year ago, Osaka now sits at the top of the tennis world — a status that's made all the more remarkable by the fact that her Australian Open title is just her third career victory after the US Open and Indian Wells wins in 2018.
A win would have sent Kvitova to the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings — a feat that would have seen her become the oldest debut world number one in the Open Era.