David Gray/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
MELBOURNE, Australia — Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Naomi Osaka of Japan will compete for the Australian Open title and the women’s world No. 1 ranking when they meet Saturday in the final at Melbourne Park.
Kvitova advanced to her first Grand Slam final since 2014 with a businesslike 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 victory against Danielle Collins of the United States in the first semifinal on Thursday. Osaka, the reigning United States Open champion, then engineered a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
Osaka, 21, could become the first Japanese player, male or female, to hold the world No.