This was published 5 years ago
Thanks so much for following along with us tonight on this second last night of the 2021 Australian Open.
I appreciate the comments and kind words and please join us again tomorrow evening as we cover the men’s singles final.
Please have a lovely evening. Bye for now.
Naomi Osaka has put to rest any doubt that she is the dominant force in women’s tennis, winning the Australian Open final over American Jennifer Brady on Saturday night 6-4, 6-3 to claim her fourth grand slam title.
The Japanese star now has two Australian Open titles and two US Open trophies, making her the 15th woman to win four or more grand slam singles titles in the open era despite only being 23-years-old.
Osaka overcame a nervy start for both players – who hit more errors than usual and struggled with their ball toss on a blustery Rod Laver Arena – with the No.3 seed trouncing her opponent with a 4-0 lead early in the second set to run away with the win.
“It always feels surreal,” Osaka said. “For me I’m always shaking a little bit. Thank god I had three match points because maybe I needed all of them. Yeah, definitely it feels like a dream and for me I never sleep on the nights after I win a final, so I’m going to have some dark rings under my eyes tomorrow.
Krejcikova/Ram are the mixed doubles champions at the Australian Open for the second time winning tonight’s final 6-1, 6-4,.
They were simply too good and too accomplished in this format for Stosur and Ebden who did wonderfully to make the final but didn’t have anything left to battle the sixth seeds.
It was fun while it lasted but the right team won this mixed doubles title.
Both sides are trading service games in this second set but Ram is again on serve and he made short work of things.
So the Aussies find themselves serving to stay in the match with Ram’s team up 6-1, 5-4.
Ebden had a cracking service game taking a 40-15 lead and after a long rally smashed home the winner.
The Aussies are still very much up against it but they are fighting this out and are looking for any edge they can get.
Ebden and Stosur again held serve and made it 2-2 but once again we get to Ram’s serve and he looks close to unplayable.
They were 40-0 before the Aussies won a point. Then Ram hit an ace out wide.
Krejcikova/Ram lead 6-1, 3-2 with the Aussies to serve.
Ebden managed to hold his serve in the second game and the Aussies have made Krejcikova a little uncomfortable on her serve forcing the game to deuce.
But Ram was too good cleaning up an awkward volley from Stosur and cracking it home for the win and a 2-1 lead.
Ram has the most powerful serve in this match and he opened the second set and his side have won the game comfortably and put more pressure back on the Aussies.
This could be lost quickly if the Aussies can find some solutions to two elite players.
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The sixth seeds were absolutely commanding in that first set and they have won it 6-1 in 22 minutes.
The Aussie pair have been far from their best, especially when on serve and they paid dearly for it.
They do look good enough to match their opponents at the net but they need to make some changes fast or they could find themselves accepting the runners-up trophy within the hour.
The Aussies have to win the set to force a best of 10 tiebreaker to decide the championship.
Sam Stosur is now serving to keep the Aussie pair in this opening set. They have played just 13 minutes.
The Aussies are down 1-5.