Osaka wins fourth Grand Slam title
Japan’s Naomi Osaka cemented her place as the outstanding star of the women’s game by beating American Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final to win her fourth Grand Slam title.
Osaka, 23, is unbeaten in major finals after a 6-4 6-3 win in Melbourne.
Osaka edged the first set when Brady, in her first Grand Slam final, paid for some glaring errors in the final game.
The third seed seized control from that point, racing 4-0 ahead in the second set before sealing a deserved victory.
Osaka has now won two Australian Open titles after also triumphing at Melbourne Park in 2019, with her other Grand Slam successes coming at the US Open in 2018 and 2020.
She has not suffered a defeat since February 2020 after extending her winning run to 21 matches.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev has another opportunity to land a first Grand Slam title after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the Australian Open final.
The in-form Russian won 6-4 6-2 7-5 against Greek fifth seed Tsitsipas, securing his 20th victory in a row.
Fourth seed Medvedev, 25, will contest his second major final when he meets Novak Djokovic on today.
After losing in the 2019 US Open final, Medvedev aims again to become Russia’s first male major champion since 2005.
In his way stands top seed Djokovic, who is bidding for a record-extending ninth men’s title at Melbourne Park.
Rory McIlroy missed his first cut since the 2019 Open Championship after recording a second-round 76 at the Genesis Invitational. McIlroy had played in 30 events since his Friday exit at the Open in his native Northern Ireland.
The Northern Irishman carded one birdie, four bogeys and a double bogey to drop down to seven over par.
McIlroy wasn’t the only big name to miss the cut as Bryson DeChambeau exited on two over, with Justin Thomas a stroke behind the Northern Irishman on eight over.