10 steps to the top of the world: Naomi Osaka

Having eschewed junior competition, Osaka turned heads on her WTA debut at Stanford 2014: the 16-year-old World No.406 got a Top 20 scalp off the bat, shocking Samantha Stosur 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 in the first round (Getty)

Osaka also made a splash on her Slam debut at the 2016 Australian Open, beating Donna Vekic and Elina Svitolina to reach the third round (Getty)

At Roland Garros 2016, Osaka proved she was a quick learner: in the fourth red clay tournament of her career, she defeated Jelena Ostapenko and stretched Simona Halep - the next two years' champions - to three sets in the third round (Getty)

Osaka was gaining a reputation for raising her game at Slams - but in the third round of the 2016 US Open tearful disaster struck as a 5-1 third set lead over Madison Keys dissipated (Getty)

Two tournaments later, though, Osaka bounced back to make her maiden final at home in Tokyo, beating Elina Svitolina in the semifinals before falling to Caroline Wozniacki in the final (Getty)

There was redemption at the 2017 US Open: returning to the scene of her 'freak out' the previous year, Osaka stunned defending champion Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-1 in the first round (Getty)

Osaka transformed from dangerous floater to title threat at Indian Wells 2018, pummelling a succession of former World No.1s and Slam champions to storm to her maiden trophy (Getty)

Osaka followed the Indian Wells run by defeating childhood heroine Serena Williams 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of Miami (Getty)

Five months later, Osaka would reprise that win on the biggest stage, shocking Williams 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the US Open to win her first major (Getty)

A dramatic three-set win over Petra Kvitova in the 2019 Australian Open final sealed consecutive Slam titles for Osaka - and the World No.1 ranking (Getty)