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Naomi Osaka dominates Jennifer Brady to win Australian Open final

Feb 20, 2021 (wionews.com) - Japan's Naomi Osaka on Saturday defeated Jeniffer Brady 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open final as she continued her unbeaten streak to 21 matches (14 Grand Slam matches).

Osaka, with the dominating win, becomes only the fourth active WTA player to win more than three major singles titles. Osaka also closed the gap with world number one Ashleigh Barty after finding herself second in the rankings following the win over Brady.

Osaka also equals Monica Seles' record of winning the first four Grand Slam women's finals. This was Osaka's second Australian Open win as she continues to rise in the world of tennis.

Osaka won the tight first set while breaking Brady twice in the second to win the match 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes in front of thousands of cheerful fans at the Rod Laver Arena. Third-seeded Osaka now holds a 100 per cent record in Grand Slam finals following her win in 2018 and 2020 US Opens and 2019 win in Melbourne.

Osaka saved two match points in the fourth round against Garbine Muguruza before lifting the coveted Australian Open trophy.

Osaka, who also beat her idol, Serena Williams, in straight sets in the semi-finals, has not lost a match in more than a year.

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Large Typhoon No. 25 was moving northwest over waters south of Japan at 3 p.m. on September 19 and is forecast to strengthen as it approaches Kanto and the Izu Islands from September 20 through September 21, bringing the risk of torrential rain, violent winds and further damage in areas still recovering from last year's typhoon.

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season.

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japanese business, potentially valued at as much as $3 billion, or about 470 billion yen, as the U.S. coffee chain seeks to concentrate management resources on its struggling North American operations.

Japan's Halloween Jumbo Lottery went on sale nationwide on September 16, offering a combined top payout of 400 million yen for the first prize and its adjacent-number prizes.

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

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