Australian Open
Women’s Final
Kvitova over Osaka
Like any Final, this really is a pick-em. Osaka’s tough groundstrokes and athleticism should be enough to win on most days. But this isn’t most days. Petra Kvitova is playing the best tennis of her career, in my opinion, and it is a very high level considering that she has two Wimbledon championships under her belt. Kvitova is solid and consistent, and is a feel-good story to boot, considering that she has recovered from lacerations from knife wounds suffered two years ago by a burglar in a home invasion in her native Czech Republic. As well as Osaka is playing, I still see some inconsistencies that Kvitova should be able to take advantage of. This will be a dogfight, and anyone could win. But I think Kvitova is a bit too consistent and will hoist the trophy and collect the $4.2 million (Australian) as Champion.