Naomi Osaka Wins Australian Open, Rises to No. 1 in Rankings

Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open on Saturday night, landing her second Grand Slam title in a row, according to reports. After besting Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champ, Osaka was propelled to the no. 1 position in the rankings, a meteoric rise from her no. 72 ranking at the same time last year. Osaka’s Australian Open win came without controversy, unlike her win at the U.S. Open final in September, when her opponent Serena Williams was docked a game following an argument with the presiding chair umpire, the Associated Press notes. Osaka, who was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, is the first woman to secure two consecutive championships since Williams landed four back-to-back in 2014-2015.