Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of the 2021 Australian Open final. It’s three-time major champion Naomi Osaka versus Grand Slam final debutant, Jennifer Brady. Can the USA’s number 22 seed upset the Japanese world number three? The players are due on court inside Rod Laver arena from 08:30 GMT.

Osaka: "Playing a Grand Slam right now is a super privilege and it's something I won't take for granted."

Runner-up Brady on Osaka: "What she's doing for the game is amazing. I hope young girls at home are watching and are inspired by what she's doing."

GAME, SET AND MATCH! – OSAKA 6-4 6-3 BRADY. It’s all over! Osaka is the 2021 Australian Open champion. She serves out to love to clinch her second title here in one hour and 17 minutes. It’s the Japanese star’s fourth Grand Slam trophy and will see her climb to No.2 in the world. Brady battled hard, but will rue that crucial spell at the end of the first set.

OSAKA 6-4 5-3 BRADY. It’s an awkward hold, but a hold nonetheless. Brady survives from deuce after a rasping crosscourt return winner from Osaka had threatened to tee her up for a trophy-clinching break. The Japanese will now serve for the title, but at least Brady has posed the question.

OSAKA 6-4 5-2 BRADY. It’s hands on head time for Brady. She can see Osaka is far from serene at this juncture. The Japanese is indecisive with a crosscourt forehand that balloons off the net and lands out to allow Brady back into the game at 40-30. Osaka is rattled but is allowed to wriggle over the line as Brady goes too big on a forehand and not only loses her ascendancy, but it costs her the game too. Osaka is now one away from the title.

OSAKA 6-4 4-2 BRADY. The world number 24 breezes to a love hold. She’s fired up and keen to feed her own belief. How will Osaka respond now?

BREAK! – OSAKA 6-4 4-1 BRADY. Respite! Brady gets on the board and claws a break back. She gets a huge – and quite possibly deserved – slice of luck with a miss-hit that helps her claim a first break point. Osaka saves it but it seems to ignite something within the American. She shows Djokovic-esque elasticity to turn a point in her favour to earn another break opportunity. Osaka goes in for the kill to fend off another but dumps into the net.

BREAK! – OSAKA 6-4 4-0 BRADY. It’s looking bleak for Brady. Osaka has the bit between her teeth and doesn’t look like letting go. The No.22 seed just can’t find her Set 1 rhythm. She’s tried to shrug off that forehand miss, but it’s really paralyzed her game. Osaka breaks again and is closing in on a fourth Grand Slam title.

OSAKA 6-4 3-0 BRADY. Osaka finds an ace at 40-30 after some shaky serving had threatened to unravel her from 40-0 up. She bellows out another ‘Come on!’ as she consolidates to edge closer down the path to victory. Brady needs a big response - and fast.

BREAK! – OSAKA 6-4 2-0 BRADY. Real problems for Brady now. She slaps another tight forehand into the net to leave herself with plenty to do at 0-30. Osaka then produces a sensational crosscourt backhand winner to conjure up two break points. She only needs one as Brady hooks horribly wide of the tramlines to leave herself with a mountain to climb.

OSAKA 6-4 1-0 BRADY. No sign of the frustration creeping into Brady’s game after that first set loss. She heaps on some pressure for 30-30 but Osaka finds a timely wide ace to light a path out of danger.

SET! – OSAKA 6-4 BRADY. That’s a huge shame for Brady. She blows a comfortable lead with a fourth double fault setting some nerves jangling as she needs to do it all again from deuce. Osaka gets lucky with a miss-hit that drops in, forcing Brady to adjust and fire long. The American then comes close to the net to try and finish a point on the forehand but dumps it into the net. It gifts Osaka the set and will be a tough one for the underdog to take.

OSAKA 5-4 BRADY. Wow, that’s special – but it’s not quite enough. Brady rues a long return off as she attacks a second serve at 0-30. Osaka hits back to make 30-30 but a sensational improvised backhand lob on the run gives Brady a shot at the break. Osaka comes under the cosh but some clutch play from the world number three sees her just about eek out the hold.

OSAKA 4-4 BRADY. Osaka screams ‘Come on!’ as she slaps away an overhead to make 15-15. It seems to have the desired motivational effect as she wrestles the in-game momentum her way to snare a break point. Brady hustles in typically feisty fashion from the baseline to fend it off and then needs to bring her A-game to handle the heat at deuce. It’s a brilliant hold as some hefty serving and a crisp crosscourt backhand help her to square it up once again.

OSAKA 4-3 BRADY. It’s far from a smooth ride for Osaka at the moment but this time she does manage to dig out the hold to 30 and maintain the scoreboard advantage as we enter the business end of the set.