Australian Open: Brady Faces Ultimate Test Against ‘New Boss’ Osaka

By Daily sports on February 19, 2021

Jennifer Brady spent two weeks in hard quarantine gathering mental strength for her tilt at a maiden Grand Slam title and will hope there is plenty in reserve when she takes on Naomi Osaka in Saturday’s Australian Open final.

While some of those in hard quarantine complained about not being able to train before the Grand Slam, Brady likened it to a long decompression session that probably helped her bulldoze through the draw against better-prepared players.

Now the rising 25-year-old faces the ultimate test of her resilience against Osaka, who beat her in the US Open semifinals on the way to her third Grand Slam triumph.

“I don’t know how I’m going to feel on Saturday,” said the American.

“I can say I can enjoy the moment and just try to play tennis and not really think too much about it, but there’s going to be moments, there’s going to be games, there’s going to be points where I'm going to be thinking about, ‘Wow, this could be my first Grand Slam title’.”

The odds are against it though, with third seed Osaka rated a virtually unbackable favourite by bookmakers to raise a second Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, two years after beating Petra Kvitova for the 2019 title.

Brady, the 22nd seed, has shown grit to get this far, winning consecutive three-set matches against semifinalist Karolina Muchova and Jessica Pegula, but compared to Osaka’s tough draw the American has had an armchair ride.

Muchova, at 25th the highest seed Brady faced, cleared the roadblock of world number one Ashleigh Barty, while giantkiller Pegula knocked out US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka and Elina Svitolina from Brady’s quarter of the draw.

Brady made heavy weather beating a profligate Muchova, needing five match points to finish it, while Osaka crushed Serena Williams in two sets and sealed victory on the first match point.

Add that to the fact that Osaka is on a 20-match winning streak and has never lost a Grand Slam final, it would seem former college player Brady is up against it.

“For me, I have this mentality that people don’t remember the runners-up,” said 2019 champion Osaka after leaving a defeated Williams in tears.

“You might, but the winner’s name is the one that’s engraved.”

THE NEW BOSS

At 23, Osaka is fast developing the aura that helped Williams amass 23 Grand Slam titles.

Once prone to the occasional breakdown on court, Osaka has been all business at Melbourne Park and paid tribute to her coach Wim Fissette and team for helping her forge a stronger mental game.

The first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title, Osaka said she wanted to pay her team back with another trophy.

“Of course, it’s nice to see your name on a trophy or your name on a wall,” said Osaka, who holds a 2-0 record against Brady in WTA Tour events.

“But I think bigger than that, I feel like I'm playing with a different purpose for this trip.

“I just want to do really well as a vessel for everyone's hard work.”

After surviving match points in a tense fourth round clash with last year’s finalist Garbine Muguruza, the Japanese contender moved up a gear to thrash Taiwanese surprise package Hsieh Su-wei before ending Williams’ bid for a 24th Grand Slam.

Justine Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, said Osaka had taken a grip of the women’s game.

“To me, women’s tennis has a new boss, Naomi Osaka has this capacity, she has taken another dimension,” Henin told Eurosport.

“(She) is completely ready physically, mentally she showed that she is really strong. Naomi, for sure, will be the big favourite for this match.” (Reuters)

•PHOTO: Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady

Source Daily sports

Posted February 19, 2021


 

You may also like...
Mikel, Moses, Martins, Ikeme, Ezenwa, Oshoala, Quadri nominated...

18th Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship: Kogi complete...

CAF appoints Paul Bassey Super Cup Coordinator

End nigh for Tevez in China

Kante, Jorginho Nominated For Uefa Award

Bauchi appoints Jada, Patrick to rescue Wikki Tourists...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,163 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,369 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,506 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media