Naomi Osaka wins the Australian Open title 7-6, 5-7, 6-4

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Japanese fourth seed Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open title 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 on Saturday with a hard-fought win over Czech seed Petra Kvitova.

This is the second consecutive Grand Slam title for the 21-year-old Osaka, who has also become the first tennis player from Japan to reach WTA No. 1 in the rankings. She earned her first Grand Slam trophy at the U.S. Open last September.

Saturday's matchup was also the first time they have played against each other.

Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates with the championship trophy during the presentation ceremony after her victory against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova in the women's singles final at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, January 26, 2019. /VCG Photo

Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova hasn't won a major since 2014. She was stabbed in the hand by an intruder at her home in the Czech Republic a little more than two years ago.

Osaka won the first set 7-6 (2) but she held three match points at 5-3 in the second set. She allowed Kvitova to come back and win 23 of 27 points to take that set and go up 1-0 in the third.

Then Osaka regained her composure and her big-shot ability down the stretch, breaking to lead 2-1 with a cross-court backhand winner and holding on the rest of the way.

Osaka has become the first woman to win two major championships in a row since Williams picked up four straight in 2014-15.

(With inputs from AP)