Australian Open preview: Big-hitting Kvitova and Osaka take on each other in high-stakes final

Czech Petra Kvitova is aiming to rock Japan’s ‘on fire’ Naomi Osaka with an early onslaught in the Australian Open final, predicting the decider will be more slugfest than tactical masterclass.

The final on Saturday features two of the game’s biggest hitters in a showdown for both the Australian crown and the world number one ranking. Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova is on an 11-match winning streak and has been in imperious form at Melbourne Park, where she is yet to drop a set or even be stretched to a tie-break.

The 28-year-old is jubilant about making a Grand Slam final for the first time since a burglar sliced her racquet hand in a terrifying attack in late 2016 at her home in the Czech Republic.

“It’s probably a bit more special because of everything I’ve been through,” said Kvitova, who feared she would never rejoin the game’s elite after suffering permanent nerve damage.

But to make her comeback complete, the eighth seed needs to overcome US Open champion Osaka, one of the few players who can match Kvitova’s powerful serve and blazing groundstrokes.

#AusOpen title isn't the only thing on the line.

Whoever wins the final will be the new world No.1 pic.twitter.com/5bKrBPIRxG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019

The Czech said she must start strongly against the 21-year-old, whose meek off-court demeanour belies a ferocious competitive instinct.

“Naomi is on fire. She’s in very good form,” Kvitova said. “She’s an aggressive player, which I am, as well. So I think it will be about who’s going to take the first point and push the other a little bit.”

Osaka has battled through three-setters three times on her way to the final and said advancing at Grand Slam level was sometimes more about the ability to outlast an opponent than outthink them.

“I’m playing the best players in the world, and I’ve been playing three sets most of the time,” she said. “It’s more like a battle of wills at this point.”

The pair have never met and Osaka said she would have to adjust her game against the lanky left-hander. Kvitova’s coach Jiri Vanek also said both finalists played in a similar manner.

“[Osaka] goes for winners, Petra goes for winners. You don’t have time to come up with great tactics” he said. “Both of them play so fast, I think it’s going to be about who has the bigger heart.”

The final of this year’s season-opening Grand Slam will also determine the world number one ranking after Romania’s Simona Halep was bundled out in the fourth round. Neither Osaka nor Kvitova has held the top spot before.

If 28yo Petra Kvitova wins on Saturday, she will become the oldest debut World No.1 in the Open Era.

If 21yo Naomi Osaka wins, she will become the youngest WTA No.1 since Caroline Wozniacki. #AusOpen
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 25, 2019

Osaka is currently sitting on a career-high ranking of four, while Kvitova even in her prime only reached number two in 2011, the year she claimed her first Major at Wimbledon.

The Czech, whose previous best at Melbourne Park was a final four appearance in 2012, said claiming the top spot would be “a very nice bonus” but she was only thinking about lifting the trophy.

Osaka was more enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming world number one but also said the title was her priority.

“Of course that’s a very big deal for me,” she said. “It’s one of the biggest goals that I had when I heard it was possible after playing the quarters. But my main goal is winning this tournament. The ranking comes after that. I tend to do better if I focus on one goal.”

Winning back-to-back Grand Slams would be a huge statement for Osaka, showing her success at Flushing Meadows was not a one-off.

She would be the first player other than American 23-time Major winner Serena Williams to claim back-to-back majors since Kim Clijsters took the 2010 US Open and 2011 Australian Open.

Osaka would also become the youngest to achieve the feat since Martina Hingis won the 1998 Australian Open after claiming the US Open in 1997.