With Aussie Open win Osaka caps off rise from No. 72 to No. 1

A lot was on the line in the Australian Open final for Noami Osaka, but she managed to outhit Petra Kvitova, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4. With her second career Grand Slam title, in a row, the 21-year-old is the the first world No. 1 to be ranked outside of the Top 50 in the rankings just a year prior.

Ranked at No. 17 just a year before reaching the top, Dinara Safina and Karolina Pliskova were the lowest players to have climbed to No. 1 in the span of a year. Just a year ago, Osaka was ranked No. 72 in the world, and has buried their record. To top it off, she's the first ever Asian world No. 1.

Martina Hingis was next lowest at No. 16 before ascending to No. 1, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario was No. 2, Monica Seles was No. 6 and Steffi Graf was No. 3. The data for Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova, Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris Evert is not available on the WTA site.

Osaka has followed up her US Open victory with another showing of stellar Grand Slam tennis, knocking out two three Top 10 players in No. 7 Elina Svitolina, No. 8 Pliskova and No. 6 Kvitova. She also defeated No. 28 Hsieh Su-wei in the third round and No. 13 Anastasija Sevastova in the fourth round, both in three sets.

Osaka has made history, time and time again, in the past year during her rapid ascent to the queen of the WTA rankings.

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