Osaka Relishing Grand Slam Stage

Australian Open finalist Naomi Osaka (Set Betting – Osaka 2-0 23/10) has taken huge strides over the past 12 months and wants to continue that progression with a second successive Grand Slam victory on Saturday.

The 21-year-old was merely regarded as a promising up-and-comer when she entered the Australian Open in 2018, having never previously made it beyond round three at a Grand Slam event.

She made it to the fourth round in Melbourne, losing to Simona Halep in straight sets, before exiting the French Open and Wimbledon in round three.

Victory at the Indian Wells Open in March 2018 handed Osaka a first title on the WTA Tour and she returned to America full of confidence for the US Open in September.

Osaka stunned Serena Williams in the final – winning in straight sets – to claim her maiden Grand Slam crown and she has started 2019 in similar fashion.

The world number four, who could climb to top spot in the rankings by next week, goes up against Petra Kvitova in this year’s Australian Open final (Match betting – Osaka 11/10, Kvitova 8/11).

The Japanese star insists she relishes stepping out on the big stage and hopes to make all her hard work pay off on Saturday.

Osaka said: “I love Grand Slams. This is a place I think is worth all the training. When you’re little, you watch the grand slams, you watch all the players play the legendary matches here. For me, this is the most important tournament. There’s only four of them a year, so of course I want to do the best that I can.”

Meanwhile, Kvitova is looking to win her first Grand Slam title since falling victim to a knife attack in 2016, which threatened her career.

The Czech has twice gone all the way at Wimbledon but struggled to reach the final at any of the other Grand Slam events.

After beating unseeded American Danielle Collins 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 under the roof in Melbourne, she will get the opportunity add the Australian Open to her CV.

Kvitova admits she doubted whether a return to elite level would be possible but says she is ready to fight for every point against Osaka.

“There were moments and days where I didn’t really think very positively that I can be in the final of a Grand Slam any more. It took me a little while, five years to get there, which is not easy. That’s probably the best thing that I proved, that I didn’t give up,” Kvitova said.

“I need to play my best tennis. I think Naomi is on fire. She’s an aggressive player, which I am as well. So I think it will be about who is going to take the first point and push the other a little bit.”

Odds subject to change.