Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Naomi Osaka beat Petra Kvitova for her second consecutive Grand Slam title on Saturday at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
She became Asia's first world No. 1 ranked player with the 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Petra Kvitova. The match lasted 2:27 at Rod Laver Arena.
The 21-year-old went up 1-0 in the first set and had to hold off her Czech counterpart after a 6-6 tie break in the set. Kvitova came back strong in the second set, going up 2-0 before Osaka jumped up 4-2. Osaka held a 5-3 lead in the set before Pvitova won the next four points to take the set.
"I just felt like I didn't want to have any regrets," Osaka told reporters. "I think that if I didn't regroup after the second set, I would have looked back on this match and probably cried or something."
Osaka regrouped in a big way. She fell down 1-0 in the first set before winning the next three points. Pvitova climbed back in with a 104 mph ace to make it 3-2, but Osaka was able to hold her off down the stretch to win her second career Grand Slam.
No. 1 Novak Djokovic battles No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the men's final at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday in Melbourne.
"For me it hasn't really sunk in," Osaka said of being No. 1. "Maybe in the next tournament that I play, if I see the No. 1 next to my name, I'll feel something. But for now, I'm more happy that I won this trophy."
