It was, in the end, something of a procession, the experienced Wakana Sonobe from Japan easily defeating the USA’s Kristina Penickova in the girls' final at the 2025 Australian Open Junior Championships. 

Sonobe, 17 years old and seeded No. 4 is a seriously good player and was playing her second consecutive Junior Grand Slam singles final after last year’s US Open, where she finished runner-up to Great Britain's Mika Stojsavljevic. 

The scoreline read 6-0, 6-1 in 54 minutes and hands the Japanese her maiden Junior Grand Slam title. 

It also makes her the first Japanese girl to win an Australian Open singles title and just the second Japanese player to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title here after last year’s boys’ singles champion Rei Sakamoto.

Penickova, 15 years old and from California, was seeded No. 6 here and is a seriously good player. She won the girls’ doubles title here with her twin sister Annika only 20 hours previously and looked jaded. That is not to take it away from the left-handed Sonobe, who was immense all afternoon.

Sonobe is delighted with her title. 

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“That was not easy for me today," she said. "She is a good player, so powerful, so strong so I was trying to hit hard and aggressive and that worked.”

There were a few words at the net between the players who had met twice previously with the Japanese the victor on both occasions, including at the third round of the 2024 US Open

“I said ‘thank you, well done’. She said the same,” said Sonobe.

Penickova was bidding to become the third American to win the Australian Open girls’ singles title – after 1989 champion Kim Kessaris and 2012 champion Taylor Townsend.

Stats were everywhere with Penickova hoping to become the 40th American girl to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title and the fifth American girl to win a Junior Grand Slam title in the last five years.

Penickova comes across as the most grounded of players and has a solid support system in place. She will be disappointed to lose but is likely to see the positives of her first Junior Grand Slam singles final and her first Junior Grand SLam doubles title.

Success is likley to change the perspective of Sonobe, who may look to test herself more within the professional ranks more regularly. That said, she has already reached three finals on the ITF World Tennis Tour Women's.

And she is focused, to the point that any post-title celebration tonight will be “some Japanese food” only. 

Any Champagne? No, she laughed emphatically.

Sonobe has a power and an under-the-radar persona that will make her a challenge for many players on the 2025 pro tour. Stay tuned.

A full list of results from the 2025 Australian Open Junior Championships is available here