Trailblazer Naomi Osaka’s meteoric rise continued as she claimed back-to-back Grand Slam titles courtesy of a pulsating victory over Petra Kvitova in the 2019 Australian Open women’s singles final on Rod Laver Arena.

The 21-year-old held her nerve amid the tension of a decisive set to prevail 76(2) 57 64, having wasted three championship points in the second set after seizing control by navigating a tiebreak in the first.

Following a winner-takes-all encounter, not only has Osaka become the first player since American Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to claim successive majors after a maiden triumph, she is also the new world No. 1.

The Japanese, who 12 months ago was ranked No. 72, will assume the status of the first Asian player to occupy the No. 1 spot and the youngest since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010 when the standings are officially updated on Monday.

“I had dreams I’d win this tournament,” said Osaka. “Every time I have a dream somehow I accomplish it. I feel like it’s a strange moment. I feel like I’m living now but it is not necessarily real. The ranking was never my real goal, my goal was to just win this tournament.

“I felt like I was in a state of shock through the entire trophy presentation. Of course I felt very disappointed and sad when I had three match points. I tried to tell myself there’s nothing I can do about it -- told myself I’m playing a final and need to keep fighting and couldn’t act immature.”

It proved a glory-filled night for Osaka but, in truth, whoever the victor, success would likely have proven a cathartic experience given their recent backstories.

For Osaka, it is difficult to believe that her maiden Grand Slam triumph at last year’s US Open was not tainted by the fallout from 23-time major winner and home favourite Serena Williams’s row with umpire Carlos Ramos.

The pulling down of her visor during the trophy presentation to conceal tear-filled eyes certainly suggested her career-propelling moment under the global spotlight was not as she would have dreamed.

Kvitova, meanwhile, has risen from the wreckage of despair, having been stabbed in her left playing hand during a terrifying robbery at her Prostejov home in December 2016.

That year, she claimed that moving her fingers again was the best Christmas present she could have asked for. However, she was back on court by May 2017 and within a month had prevailed at the Birmingham International.

In fact, heading into her tussle with Osaka, Kvitova had won her previous eight finals dating back to her defeat to Monica Niculescu at the Luxembourg Open in October 2016, but her Grand Slam road to recovery had proven harsher terrain.

This was her first appearance in a Grand Slam finale since her second Wimbledon title in 2014, with the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows in 2017 being her most productive major in the intervening period since the fateful stabbing incident.

A couple of underwhelming third-round exits were the best she could muster at the Grand Slams in 2018, while 12 months ago she bowed out in the first round here following defeat to Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.

But this year’s Australian Open provided a different narrative for Kvitova, who, as the eighth seed, barged her way to the final without conceding a set and losing only 28 games in the process.

Unseeded quartet Magdalena Rybarikova, Irina-Camelia Begu, Belinda Bencic and Amanda Anisimova were all left trailing in her wake, before she dispatched Ashleigh Barty of Australia in the quarterfinals and feisty American Danielle Collins in the last four.

“I wanted to win and have the trophy – but I think I already won two years ago. So, for me, it’s amazing,” said Kvitova.

“I wanted to be back at my greatest level, probably as I played before. I knew it would be very, very difficult because my hand is not 100 per cent and never will be. I’m just trying to take maximum from the minimum.

“I don’t think that I could really imagine being this kind of player again.”

Osaka’s route to the final proved slightly trickier, with her being forced to recover from a set down against Hsieh Su-Wei and Anastasija Sevastova in the 3rd and 4th rounds respectively.

She also needed three sets to overcome No. 7 seed Karolina Pliskova, who had conquered Serena Williams in the last eight and thwarted the prospect of an Osaka-Williams reunion, in the semifinals, although she did hit 15 aces and 56 winners.

Whatever the respective paths, the final proved a gripping affair. Both players flirted with a break of serve in the opening set before Osaka saved three break points to go 4-3 up, and the first blow belonged to the fourth seed as she negotiated the tiebreak 7-2.

Kvitova threatened to counter-punch at the beginning of the second set with a break of serve, although it was perhaps the sign of a champion to hit back so quickly; Osaka broke twice to go 3-2 up.

There was to be a twist, however. As the trophy presentation apparatus began to meander into view, two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova hit back, winning 12 successive points and initiating a momentum shift. The second set was hers.

But just as Osaka looked as though she was losing her rhythm, she summoned the spirit of Flushing Meadows, breaking to go 2-1 up and refusing to buckle under any form of Kvitova retaliation. With three championship points to play with again, Osaka was not for relinquishing her grip on silverware for a second time.