It’s hard to argue against Naomi Osaka being considered the premier player on the women’s tour right now.
Ash Barty may be No.1, and Serena Williams may have 23 major titles, but it’s Osaka who’s winning, showing big-match instincts to make her unbeatable (so far) at this stage of a major.
The US Open champion and now AO 2021 finalist is riding a 20-match winning streak since the tour returned from a six-month hiatus in August last year.
Here’s what we’ve learned from the Osaka point of view following her scintillating straight-sets semifinal victory over Serena.
She steps it up in the big moments
Closing out any match against Williams must be a nerve-wracking experience, but doing it for a place in a major final magnifies those thoughts. However, Osaka won the last eight points in a highly impressive finish.
“I honestly haven't felt panicked until I played (Garbine) Muguruza, so I think that match really helped me,” stated the world No.3, after she saved two match points in the fourth round to overcome the Spaniard. She then motored to victory without another unforced error.
“There was a point today, and I was going up to the line to return, in my head I had all these thoughts about how she's the best server, I'm probably not going to be able to break her. Then I told myself to erase those thoughts, I can only play one point at a time and I'm going to try my best to play every point as well as I can.”
She’s the game’s best big-match player
Once Osaka passes the fourth round at a Grand Slam, she's lethal; 11 matches, 11 wins. She's a major player who thrives within the Grand Slam arena, so much so that 50 per cent of her six career titles are majors.
“I have this mentality that people don't remember the runners-up. You might, but the winner's name is the one that's engraved. I think I fight the hardest in the finals. I think that's where you sort of set yourself apart,” declared the 23-year-old. “It's like the biggest fight."
She’s built incredible mental strength
Being able to block out all the pressure and expectations to perform at such an elite level is what separates the good from the great.
“I think the thing that I'm most proud of is I’m now mentally strong," she said.
"I honestly think that it's just opening myself up more to my team, having longer talks with Wim (Fissette) before I go out, expressing the nerves that I feel instead of bottling it all up and trying to deal with it by myself.
"I feel like just being secure in myself as a person”
A change of perspective has been transformational
We’ve all had time to think and reflect with pandemic-prompted lockdowns over the past year, and Osaka has utilised that time to re-evaluate on and off the court, looking to grow as a person.
Her activism against racial injustice during her time in New York was worldwide news. Osaka is intent on using her platform, and she's also determined to pay back those who have elevated her to that platform.
“I used to be really up and down, a lot of doubts," she admits.
"But I think, the quarantine process and seeing everything that's going on in the world, for me it put a lot into perspective.
“When I was younger, I felt like my goal was to make history. I used to weigh my entire existence on if I won or lost a tennis match. Not now.
“Of course, it's nice to see your name on a trophy or your name on a wall. But I think bigger than that, I feel like I'm playing with a different purpose for this trip. I think I'm just so happy with my team and we've been through this entire quarantine and we've been stuck together. I just want to do really well as a vessel for everyone's hard work.”
Her return game adds an extra dimension
Back between the lines, Osaka’s has focused on bolstering her return repertoire. And it's working.
Against Williams, the Japanese won 27 points of 50 points facing the formidable Serena serve, breaking four times.
Throughout the six matches at Melbourne Park, Osaka has managed to get 76 per cent of returns in, won 63 per cent of points versus a second serve, and has created buckets of break chances (25/51 success). The three-time major winner is ramping up the pressure from the very first shot.
“I've been really working hard on my returns," she said.
"During the off-season, this is something that was probably the number one priority. I think my returns are better.”