US Open champion Naomi Osaka bucks trend by reaching Tokyo final

Serena Williams wants to put US Open controversy behind her:

US Open champion Naomi Osaka dodged a dubious trend by reaching the final of the Toray Pan Pacific Open last week. Only one other time in the last decade has a first-time Grand Slam champion on the women’s side done that well in their first tournament after winning their first Grand Slam title.

Since the start of 2008 there have been 15 first-time Grand Slam women’s champions, and Osaka’s just the second player to make it past the quarterfinals of their next WTA event. Here's the complete list:

Azarenka actually followed up her first Grand Slam title at the 2012 Australian Open with another 14 wins that brought her titles at Doha and Indian Wells and to the quarters of Miami.

Last week, Osaka was playing with extra pressure on home soil in Japan, making it an even more impressive feat that the 20-year-old extended her winning streak to 10 in a row before finally losing to Karolina Pliskova. So will there be more Grand Slam titles in Osaka’s future?

In an interview with *Teen Vogue*after winning the US Open, the Japanese star was asked what would happen if she told a younger version of herself that she would win the US Open at 20 years old.

“Surprisingly I think I would believe it, because this is something I’ve always dreamt about,” she said. “I feel like I’ve worked my whole life to get to this point and of course I want to keep doing better.”

Osaka is currently the No. 8-ranked player in the world and with barely any points to defend until next year’s Australian Open, she has a good chance of getting a Top 8 seed in Melbourne.