By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 27, 2019
In a rematch of the Australian Open final, Naomi Osaka fired 12 aces out-dueling Petra Kvitova 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-4 at the WTA Finals Shenzhen.
Photo credit: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Facebook
The changeover was a confessional as Naomi Osaka conceded her placid disposition was all a front.
A rattled Osaka told her father and coach, Leonard Francois, her outward calm was a facade before dropping serve and the second set.
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The two-time Grand Slam champion reasserted her identity as a closer in the decider.
In a rematch of the Australian Open final, Osaka passed a major stress test topping Petra Kvitova 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-4 in the Red Group of round-robin play to earn her first career win at the WTA Finals Shenzhen.
Osaka drilled 12 aces and broke serve five times in a match that was reminiscent of her 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 conquest of Kvitova in the Melbourne final to claim her second straight Grand Slam title and become the first Asian singles player—male or female—to rise to the world No. 1 ranking.
Outplayed at the outset by the flat-hitting Czech, Osaka withstood the onslaught and answered in raising her three-set record to 17-3 in 2019.
The third-seeded Japanese saved six of seven break points rallying from a break down in the first set.
"For me it was very difficult because I usually have first-round jitters and you can't really afford it," Osaka told Andrew Krasny afterward. "She clearly started going really hard at me from the beginning I just had to adjust to it."
It was Osaka's first WTA Finals win after her winless 2018 debut when she lost to Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens and Kiki Bertens in round-robin play of the season-finale.
"I think just winning given the circumstances [is satisfying]," Osaka said. "I'm not really one that plays well in the first round and it's very difficult for me to play her first.
"I just tried to fight no matter what. And I'm just glad I was able to win."
For much of today's opening set, Kvitova was calling the shots.
A sharp Kvitova broke to open, consolidated at love and had two more break points for a 3-0 lead only to see Osaka navigate the stress test and hold.
Contesting her seventh WTA Finals, Kvitova was striking with conviction at the outset.
Firing her lefty forehand crosscourt into the Australian Open champion's backhand, Kvitova stretched the lead to 4-2. The Czech was a power in pink until an unsightly eighth game when she spit up three double faults, including double faulting back the break for 4-all.
Finding her range on serve, Osaka cruised through a two-ace game for 6-5. In the tie break, Osaka shifted into a higher gear.
Jolting a pair of aces, Osaka exploited four forehand errors from the left-hander for a 6-0 lead. When Kvitova rattled a forehand return off the net, Osaka had saved six of seven break points building a one-set lead after 62 minutes.
The world No. 3 was 31-2 when winning the opening set in 2019, including 17 straight victories. Kvitova wasn't going away.
The two-time Wimbledon winner broke for a 2-0 second-set lead, but she stumbled in a four-error game sticking a second serve into the net to gift back the break in the third game.
Reading the Czech's serve more accurately, Osaka slid a return down the line breaking for a 3-2 advantage.
The 29-year-old Kvitova took a coaching consultation from coach Jiri Vanek then came back on court with aggression.
Jolting a return deep down the middle, Kvitova rattled out her third break as Osaka dropped her Yonex racquet to court in disgust.
Slamming her sixth ace, Kvitova edged ahead again 4-3.
Conceding she was tired in a coaching visit with her father before the 10th game, Osaka saved a set point but knocked a netted backhand to face a second break point. The depth of a Kvitova return drew another backhand error as the Czech broke for the fourth time to force a decider.
Exuding more calm, Osaka exploited a double fault and netted drive scoring the first break of the last set to go up 2-1.
Sliding her serve out wide to clear space, Osaka bumped a backhand down the line to back up the break in the fourth game.
When Kvitova knocked a backhand into net, Osaka had double match point at the two hour, 28-minute mark. Kvitova saved the first with a high forehand volley that capped a rapid-fire net exchange. On the second, Kvitova cranked a drive down the line coaxing an error.
A stubborn Kvitova kept coming forcing another error to break back for 3-5.
Each time the 2011 champion made a push, Osaka stared down the challenge.
Ultimately, Osaka's competitive calm and some timely and varied first serves helped her close her 40th victory of the season.
Serving for the match again, Osaka buried a backhand down the line then curled another wide serve sealing a two hour, 39-minute win on her third match point.