Melbourne (AFP)

Look no further for who is the boss: Naomi Osaka has offered her fourth Grand Slam trophy in as many finals played by beating American Jennifer Brady (24th) at the Australian Open, Saturday in Melbourne.

The current world No.3 won 6-4, 6-3 in just over 1h15 at the expense of Brady, who was living her very first major final and will be rewarded with an entry into the top 15.

In the next WTA ranking on Monday, Osaka will not re-settle on the throne of world tennis but will climb "only" in place of N.2, behind the Australian Ashleigh Barty.

On the ground, there is no doubt, however, that it is she who has everything the boss that the women's circuit is looking for.

Since the post-containment recovery in the heart of last summer, Osaka has triumphed at the US Open in September, and now in Melbourne.

With these two new coronations, in addition to her first two at the US Open 2018 and the Australian Open 2019, the 23-year-old Japanese becomes the first since Monica Seles in the early 1990s to emerge victorious from his first four major finals.

It classifies a player.

Already, having held the shock in New York in 2018, in a final - then her first in a major tournament, at only twenty - yet explosive where Serena Williams was carried away against the referee of the match and had received three warnings, the last for insulting remarks, hinted at an uncommon coolness.

- Quiet strength -

When she became world No. 1 after the 2019 Australian Open, Osaka did not hide her difficulties in assuming this new status.

Two years later, the Japanese, born of a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, who grew up and lives in the United States, proves with panache that she has matured well.

Don't be fooled by her sweet face and thin voice.

Behind her zen and detached air hides a fierce determination and an unparalleled winning temperament.

"The thing I'm most proud of" since the post-containment recovery, "is how strong I have become mentally," said Osaka after qualifying for the final, also saying "more sure of myself as a no one".

"I used to have ups and downs, I doubted myself a lot. But seeing everything that is going on in the world, my forties, it put a lot of things in perspective, says "She. I tended to evaluate my existence by the yardstick of my victories or my losses. I don't feel that way anymore."

Throughout the Australian fortnight, Osaka displayed its quiet strength.

- The "Osaka rule" confirmed -

In seven games, she only let one set slip, in the round of 16 against Garbine Muguruza (14th).

And when the Spaniard got two match points in the third round of their high-flying duel, the way the Japanese turned the situation around was stunning.

In the final against Brady, Osaka entered the game perfectly and took the advantage 3 games to 1.

Gradually more liberated, the American came back up to par, and even got a 5-4 ball.

But the Japanese dismissed it with authority.

And hardly let his opponent exist by winning six consecutive games from that moment, until leading 4-0 in the second set.

Before that, his relentless solidity which had gone so far as to make Serena Williams seem helpless in the semi-finals had marked the spirits.

Once again, Osaka shows his exceptional ability to transcend himself on big occasions.

Of the seven trophies that have now filled its list since its revelation in 2018, more than half are major tournaments.

And the "Osaka rule" is confirmed: when the Japanese cross the round of 16 in a Grand Slam, she systematically triumphs.

© 2021 AFP