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OSAKA CLIMBS TO SECOND IN WTA RANKINGS AFTER AUSTRALIAN OPEN TRIUMPH

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Naomi Osaka beat Jennifer Brady of the US in straight sets in the final to lift the trophy in Melbourne for the second time in three years. PHOTO: REUTERS

Naomi Osaka moved up one spot to second in the WTA rankings released on Monday following her success at the Australian Open, as she won her fourth Grand Slam title.

The Japanese star beat Jennifer Brady of the US in straight sets in the final to lift the trophy in Melbourne for the second time in three years.

Osaka, 23, trades places with Simona Halep, the Romanian dropping down to third after losing to Serena in the quarter finals.

Williams jumps up four places to seventh despite again falling short of a record-tying 24th major. The American was beaten by Osaka in the semi-finals.

The 25-year-old Brady, a semi-finalist at last year’s US Open, reached a career high of 13th on the back of her best Grand Slam performance to date.

Ashleigh Barty remains the world No. 1 in spite of losing in the last eight to Karolina Muchova, who gained five spots in rising to 22nd.

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-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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