2019 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMEN'S FINAL: Japanese-Haitian Sensation Naomi Osaka Wins Title and Attains WTA No. 1 Ranking - What A Way To Kick Off The Year!!
Monday, January 28, 2019
Twenty-one-year-old Naomi Osaka has consolidated her U.S. Open Grand Slam Title with a consecutive title taken at the 2019 Australian Open.
This title acquisition was no easy victory for Osaka. Twenty-eight-year-old Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic definitely intended to seal her 2019 Australian Open journey with a victory also. Both women brought the intensity and fight that makes a final worth watching.
The three-set match that endured many ups and down from both players, ending in Kvitová being defeated 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4
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| Naomi and her father Leonard François |
"I had dreams that I would win this tournament, every time I have a dream, somehow I accomplish it, I still feel like it's a very strange moment. Like, I feel like I'm living right now, but it's not necessarily real, if that makes sense."
“I feel like it hasn't really sunk in,” admitted Osaka, who snapped a streak of eight different female Grand Slam champions in the past two years.
“Maybe in the next tournament 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.
“I would assume my next goal is to win the next tournament I play. Like, I'm going to have to play Indian Wells again. Of course, I'd love to win that again and then play Miami and hopefully win that. I think people that can win Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back, it's usually the best players in the world.
“I feel like I'm going with the flow. That's sort of been my motto my whole life.”
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SLOANE STEPHENS: Finish the Sentence...
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Posted by Shelia Email this postNaomi Osaka Lets Her New Championship Crown Shine In Pictures, Social Media and Television... Beautiful
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Posted by Shelia Email this post2018 U.S. OPEN FINAL: For Serena Williams, Grace, Not A Title Won the Day
Saturday, September 8, 2018
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| Serena Williams, USA and Naomi Osaka, Japan, 2018 U.S. Open Final |
Today was a complicated, gratifying and honoring of the God we serve day for Serena Williams.
As all of us who reside in the faith community know, the Grace of God is supreme, and manifesting that same Grace that has been bestowed upon us time after time is paramount.
After receiving a penalty when being accused of a coaching violation by Chair Umpire Carlos Ramos, Serena became very upset with what she saw as not only an attack on her character, but a sexist action due to the fact that MANY men have done a lot worse but have never been penalized in the manner that she was.
Serena was obviously upset with Ramos and his actions, but it appeared that the unrealistic characterization of her bothered her most. After calling upon Tournament Referee Brian Earley to assist in sorting out the disagreement, Serena began to pull her composure together and eventually restarted play. Shortly thereafter Naomi Osaka prevailed.
As the championship crowning festivities introductions began, the fans booed very obviously and loudly, a first for me! Eventually Serena spoke and quelled the boos. "I don’t want to be rude. She played well. Let’s make this the best moment we can, let’s not boo any more."
.@serenawilliams instructs crowd to stop booing and celebrate @Naomi_Osaka_'s moment of winning her first grand slam. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/LOAyB42OmQ— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) September 8, 2018
Serena also embraced and attempted to comfort a mixed-emotions Osaka... a very powerful moment.
Whatever anyone's thoughts or feelings with regard to the coaching accusation and penalization, one definite truth shone brightly in the midst of the drama. Serena's respect for, and desire to see the 2018 U.S. Open Champion Naomi Osaka celebrated, far outweighed all else that occurred during the match.From boos to cheers. An emotional and powerful moment for Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams at the US Open podium. (🔊⬆️) pic.twitter.com/oTg6SORjXe— ESPN (@espn) September 8, 2018
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2018 U.S. OPEN FINAL: CONGRATULATIONS NAOMI OSAKA!!!!
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| 2018 U.S. Open Champion Naomi Osaka, Japan |
Congratulations to a very determined, strictly business on the courts player, 20-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan.
Watching Osaka grow and tune her game over the years has been wonderful. It has been very visible seeing her mental growth as she watches her opponents tactics and adjusts her own to amp up her game and whatever the outcome, continue to move forward.
Osaka's apparent introverted personality seems to keep her in a very working and focused mode during her matches, as it did today with the very unfortunate circumstance of her opponent, 23 Grand Slam title holder Serena Williams.
Osaka maintained her composure, continued with the same game before and after the incident, and I believe came out on top as she would have had the incident not occurred. As Osaka played and prevailed in the first set, there was no doubt that her skill level and desire to take the match was on a level that could make it happen... and it did.Though Osaka's win came in the midst of a controversy, it was incontrovertible and she deserves ever accolade, prize money and all the love that she receives.
She may be a quiet spirit, but it's a powerful, as well as graceful one.
KEEP IT MOVING NAOMI - GREAT JOB!
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2018 U.S. OPEN DAY 1: Defending Champion Sloane Stephens Glides Through Round 1 To Defend Her Title
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Day 1. Just getting started... #usopen pic.twitter.com/DdI0RKPHbb— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) August 27, 2018
On Monday afternoon, Sloane Stephens began her US Open defense with an almost-routine win over Evgeniya Rodina, 6-1, 7-5, in their first career meeting.
The American couldn’t have wished for a better start as she closed out the first set in less than 30 minutes. The world No. 80 didn’t truly settle in until she was down 4-2 in the second set, which helped Stephens shake off some early nerves.
"I was a little bit nervous. I think obviously it's never easy as an American playing in the US Open," Stephens said. "I think I've felt worse nerves than that, playing here before in previous years."
Things are very different for Stephens this time around in New York. The 25-year-old returns as a US Open and Miami Open champion, a world No. 3 and a Nike star, decked out in a bright orange dress.
Another change for Stephens was playing in the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, complete with a retractable roof. It's quite breezy inside thanks to its open-air setup, designed so that when the roof is closed, there’s still a natural atmosphere on court. The new breezeway allows fans to walk and talk during play, and since the slot of open air is barely above eye level, it adds a new challenge for players trying to tune out the noise and movement.
"It was just loud," Stephens said. "There was a lot going on between the airplanes and the subway behind the court, the concessions being in the lower bowl, and people walking in the games at, like, 2-all, 3-all. Yes, it was fun to play first day on a brand-new stadium court. But there was a lot happening. Full article here.
Lock in NYC 🔒 #usopen pic.twitter.com/vGakycr3Lt— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) August 26, 2018
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2018 U.S. OPEN: Venus Williams Defeats Fellow U.S. Open Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova In Opening Round
Survival of the fittest:@Venuseswilliams eventually finds an answer, outlasting Kuznetsova in a 3 set tussle...https://t.co/JWPqEEwn3C#USOpen pic.twitter.com/cogymE4vj6— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2018
American Venus Williams and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova took to the courts for round one of the 2018 U.S. Open wherein the two went toe-to-toe with Venus eventually prevailing.
In all, it was a high-quality affair from both competitors, Venus striking 48 winners to 45 unforced errors while Kuznetsova struck 40 winners to 38 unforced errors.
"I'm most pleased I won the match. I think I stayed pretty aggressive throughout the match, and that's how I want to play the tournament" Venus stated post match.
"It's wonderful when the crowd is behind you. I experienced that much later in my career than I guess is typical. But I guess it's wonderful to have people on your side. You have to do it for yourself as well, but if the crowd is with you, it's wonderful to do it for them, too."
Up next for the seven-time Grand Slam champion is Wimbledon quarterfinalist Camila Giorgi.
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