Earlier,in front of a small and stunnedRod Laver Arena crowd – the majority of which were clearly barracking for Williams – Osaka was simply too good in not allowing her champion opponent any free points.

“I think I fight the hardest in the finals. I think that’s where you sort of set yourself apart ... It’s something that I think – I don’t know,it’s like the biggest fight,” said Osaka,who will be striving to win her second Australian Open.

She said she was playing with a “different purpose” from her previous victory in 2019.

“When I was younger,I guess like two years ago or something,I felt like my goal was to make history,to like somehow at least have one thing that I was able to do,right?,” she said.

“I would say I wanted to be the first Japanese person to win a slam. I think that was my goal. Then there was more things to do.

“I feel like I’m playing with a different purpose for this trip.

“I think I’m just so happy with my team and we’ve been through this entire quarantine and we’ve been stuck together. I just want to do really well as a vessel for everyone’s hard work.”

Osaka had a first serve return of less than 50 per cent against a player rated one of the best ever returners of serve in women’s tennis.

“I was thinking about what could happen if I didn’t serve perfectly. I think that’s what made me sort of overdo it,” Osaka said.