Naomi Osaka eyes fourth Slam title in Australian Open final vs. Jennifer Brady

Whether or not Naomi Osaka claims the Australian Open championship — and make no mistake, she will be expected to win — this much seems certain: Tennis has a new dominant force.

Sure, it’s clearly possible that Osaka could be beaten by the 22nd-seeded American Jennifer Brady in the title match at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

Brady is, after all, emerging as a force on hard courts, too, thanks to a big serve and big forehand. She pushed Osaka to three sets before losing to her in the U.S. Open semifinals last September, then shrugged off a two-week hard quarantine in Australia to reach her first Grand Slam final.

It is the third-seeded Osaka, though, who overpowered and overwhelmed Serena Williams in the semifinals Thursday; is riding a 20-match winning streak; has spent time at No. 1 in the rankings; and is seeking her second Australian Open title and fourth Slam trophy.

And she is still only 23.

Like 23-time major champion Williams, there is a determination that Osaka manages to display when the finish line is near on their sport’s most important stages: She has run her record to a combined 11-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

Osaka often speaks about wanting more consistency, whether that’s at lower-level WTA tournaments or at every Grand Slam event.

She does occasionally stumble early at the majors, such as a third-round exit a year ago as the defending champion in Australia or a first-round loss at Wimbledon in 2019.

But once she gets close to the end, she seals the deal.

“For me, I have this mentality that people don’t remember the runners-up. You might, but the winner’s name is the one that’s engraved,” explained Osaka, who was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father before the family moved to New York when...