Naomi Osaka made her Centre Court debut in July at Wimbledon and looked every bit the part of a player who wasn't ready for prime time.
"I wasn't nervous. I just think I was very overwhelmed," Osaka told reporters following her straight-sets defeat to Angelique Kerber in a match that lasted just 63 minutes.
Less than four months later, there's little doubt that Osaka has evolved from a raw but exciting up-and-comer to an elite force on the tour, having won the U.S. Open over legend Serena Williams, cruised to the Toray Pan Pacific final in Tokyo, and secured a spot alongside the game's best at the WTA Finals.