Qualifying for her first grand slam final left Naomi Osaka feeling euphoric, but the second time around has brought only relief.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Osaka backed up her 2018 US Open success on Thursday by reaching the final of the Australian Open, defeating Karolina Pliskova 6-2 4-6 6-4.
She'll face another Czech, Petra Kvitova, for the chance to become the first woman since her idol, Serena Williams, to win back-to-back slams.
Whatever the outcome, much of Osaka's work is done.
The 21-year-old told the WTA last year after the US Open final she still felt she had to prove herself and that it wasn't a flash in the pan.
A run to another final has done just that.
"I can't believe about the same time, it's sort of the reality I am in right now, so I can only keep going forward from here," she said.
"It's a little bit unreal.
"At the same time, I realise the work that I put in during the off-season. Every match that I played, I tried my best. It just felt like it was a continuous effort."
Her run to Saturday's final, as well as the early demise of Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki, also makes the decider a battle to be world No.1.
It's an amazing rise given she arrived at last year's Australian Open as the world No.72.
"Of course, that's a very big deal for me," she said.
"It's one of the biggest goals that I had I guess, playing the quarters, then hearing that it's possible.
"For me, my main goal is winning this tournament. I think the ranking comes after that. I tend to do better if I focus on one goal."
Osaka's record since the start of the US Open is 22-6, including her three losses at the tour finals when she was playing below 100 per cent.
Australian Associated Press