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{{Short description|Japanese tennis player (born 1997)}}{{For|the documentary miniseries|Naomi Osaka (TV series)}}{{Eastern name order|ÅŒsaka Naomi}}{{Good article}}{{Use American English|date=June 2021}}{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}

factoids

| birth_place = Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan| height = 180 cmACCESS-DATE=7 JANUARY 2024, WTA Tennis,

• 21st in all-time rankings| website = naomiosaka.com| plays = Right| coach = Wim Fissette (2020–2022; 2024–)| turnedpro = September 2013

won=274|lost=156}}| singlestitles = 7List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players>No. 1 (January 28, 2019)| currentsinglesranking = No. 173 (May 6, 2024)W (2019 Australian Open – Women's singles>2019, 2021)2016 French Open – Women's singles>2016, 2018 French Open – Women's singles, 2019 French Open – Women's singles>2019)2017 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles>2017, 2018)W (2018 US Open – Women's singles>2018, 2020)| Othertournaments = yes2018 WTA Finals – Singles>2018, 2019)Tennis at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's singles>2020)won=2|lost=15}}| doublestitles = 0| highestdoublesranking = No. 324 (April 3, 2017)2017 Australian Open – Women's doubles>2017)2016 French Open – Women's doubles>2016)2017 Wimbledon Championships – Women's doubles>2017)2016 US Open – Women's doubles>2016, 2017)| Team = yes| FedCupresult = WG II PO (2018)| HopmanCupresult = RR (2018)| updated = April 26, 2024}}{{Nihongo|Naomi Osaka|大坂 なおみ|Ōsaka Naomi|lead=yes|{{IPA-ja|oːsaka naomi}}, born October 16, 1997}} is a Japanese professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles. Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, with two Australian Open and two US Open titles. Her seven titles on the WTA Tour also include two at the Premier Mandatory level. At the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Australian Open, Osaka won her first two major titles in back-to-back tournaments. She was the first woman to win successive major singles titles since Serena Williams in 2015, and the first to win her first two in successive majors since Jennifer Capriati in 2001.Born in Japan to a Haitian-American father and a Japanese mother, Osaka has lived and trained in the United States since age three. She came to prominence at age 16 when she defeated former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in her WTA Tour debut at the 2014 Stanford Classic. Two years later, she reached her first WTA final at the 2016 Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo to enter the top 50 of the WTA rankings. Osaka made her breakthrough into the upper echelon of women's tennis in 2018 when she won her first WTA title at the Indian Wells Open. Later that year, she defeated 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams in the final of the US Open to become the first Japanese player to win a major singles title. From 2018 to 2021, Osaka won a major singles title in four consecutive years. In mid-2021, suffering from depression and other issues, Osaka retired from the French Open, dropped out of Wimbledon, and lost early at the US Open. She closed down the rest of her tennis season to focus on family and health. After taking another hiatus in 2023 due to maternity leave, Osaka has returned to competition in 2024.Osaka is one of the world's most marketable athletes, having been ranked eighth among all athletes in endorsement income in 2020. She was also the highest-earning female athlete of all time by annual income that year. Osaka has gained significant recognition as an activist, having showcased support for the Black Lives Matter movement in conjunction with her matches. She was named one of the 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year for her activism largely as part of her US Open championship run, and was also included on Time{{'}}s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Moreover, she was the 2021 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she became the first tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony. On the court, Osaka has an aggressive playing style with a powerful serve that can reach {{Convert|201|km/h|mph|sigfig=3|sp=us}}.{{TOC limit|2}}

Early life and background

Naomi Osaka was born on October 16, 1997, in Chūō-ku, Osaka in Japan to {{nihongo|Tamaki Osaka|大坂 環|Ōsaka Tamaki}} and Leonard François.WEB, Naomi Osaka,weblink WTA Tennis, November 3, 2018, Her mother is from Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan, and her father is from Jacmel, Haiti. She has an older sister, Mari, who is a former professional tennis player. The sisters were given their mother's family name as that was the practice when just one spouse held native citizenship. Osaka's parents met when her father was visiting Hokkaido while he was a college student in New York.NEWS,weblink Naomi Osaka's Breakthrough Game, Larmer, Brook, August 23, 2018, The New York Times, August 27, 2018, NEWS, Noori Farzan, Antonia, Japanese, Haitian, and now a Grand Slam winner: Naomi Osaka's historic journey to the U.S. Open,weblink Washington Post, September 10, 2018, September 11, 2018, When Osaka was four years old, her family moved from Japan to the U.S. to live with her father's parents in Elmont, New York on Long Island. Her father was inspired to teach his daughters how to play tennis by watching the Williams sisters compete at the 1999 French Open. Having little experience as a tennis player himself, he sought to emulate how Richard Williams trained his daughters to become two of the best players in the world, despite having never played the sport. François remarked that "the blueprint was already there. I just had to follow it," with regard to the detailed plan Richard had developed for his daughters. François began coaching Naomi and Mari once they settled in the United States. In 2006, her family moved to Florida when she was eight or nine years old so that they would have better opportunities to train. She practiced on the Pembroke Pines public courts during the day and was homeschooled at night. When Naomi was 15{{nbsp}}years old, she began working with Patrick Tauma at the ISP Academy.WEB, Naomi Osaka Tennis Biography, August 24, 2013,weblink Patrick Tauma, YouTube, November 3, 2018, In 2014, she moved to the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy.WEB, Naomi Osaka: Japanese Firepower,weblink Tom, Downs, Tennis View Magazine, November 3, 2018, She later trained at the ProWorld Tennis Academy.Although Osaka was raised in the United States, her parents decided that their daughters would represent Japan. Naomi hesitated about this considering she was born in the U.S. They said, "We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age. She was born in Osaka and was brought up in a household of Japanese and Haitian culture. Quite simply, Naomi and her sister Mari have always felt Japanese so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation."NEWS, Naomi Osaka: The Tennis Star Who Was Overlooked by Everyone,weblink Wall Street Journal, November 3, 2018, Tom, Perrota, September 12, 2018, This decision may have also been motivated by a lack of interest from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) when she was still a young player. The USTA later offered her the opportunity to train at their national training center in Boca Raton, Florida when she was 15 years old, but she declined.

Professional career

2011–2015: First WTA Tour match win

File:Osaka with Serena Williams.jpg|alt=A reporter holding a microphone to Osaka with Williams to the side smiling|thumb|Osaka interviewed at the 2014 Stanford Classic alongside Serena WilliamsSerena WilliamsOsaka never competed on the ITF Junior Circuit, the premier international junior tour, and only played in a small number of junior tournaments at any age level.WEB, Naomi Osaka Statistics,weblink Core Tennis, October 30, 2018, She instead skipped to the ITF Women's Circuit and played her first qualifying match in October 2011 on her 14th birthday.WEB, Uchida, Akira, 大坂なおみが18年間を振り返る「お姉ちゃんこそ最大のライバル」, Naomi Osaka looks back over 18 years: 'My sister is my biggest rival', ja,weblink Sportiva, October 5, 2016, October 30, 2018, She then made her professional main-draw debut in doubles at her next tournament in March with her sister Mari. Meanwhile, she did not qualify for her first singles main draw until July in her seventh such attempt. Her best result of the 2012 season came at a $10k event in Amelia Island, where she lost to her sister in the semifinals.WEB, Naomi Osaka,weblink ITF Tennis, October 30, 2018, September 23, 2018,weblink dead, Osaka has never won a title at the ITF level, only managing to finish runner-up on four occasions. Her first two finals came at the $25K level, one of which was in June 2013 in El Paso, Texas. The other was in March 2014 in Irapuato, Mexico and included a victory over her sister.In September 2013, Osaka turned professional shortly before turning 16 years old.NEWS, Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures,weblink October 9, 2018, CNN, September 11, 2018, She entered her first two qualifying draws on the WTA Tour that same month at the Challenge Bell in Quebec and the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. The latter event was her first opportunity to compete professionally in Japan. The following summer, Osaka qualified for her first WTA Tour main draw at the 2014 Stanford Classic. In her tour level debut, she upset world {{abbr|No.|number}} 19, Samantha Stosur, in a tight match where she saved a match point in the second set tiebreak and came back from a 5–3 deficit in the third set. She was still just 16 years old and ranked No. 406 at the time.WEB, Qualifier Stuns Stosur In Stanford,weblink WTA Tennis, October 30, 2018, MAGAZINE, Watch: 16-year-old standout Naomi Osaka hits a massive forehand,weblink Courtney, Nguyen, Sports Illustrated, October 30, 2018, Osaka also won a match as a wildcard at the Japan Women's Open, her only other WTA Tour main draw of the year.WEB, Keys, Svitolina, Watson advance at Japan Women's Open,weblink Tennis.com, October 30, 2018, These victories helped her progress into the top 250 of the rankings before the end of the season.WEB, Naomi Osaka Rankings History,weblink WTA Tennis, October 30, 2018, Despite not winning another WTA Tour main-draw singles match in 2015, Osaka continued to climb up the rankings. She reached her two highest level finals, the first at the $75k Kangaroo Cup in Japan and the second at the $50k Surbiton Trophy in England. Following these runner-up results, Osaka was ranked high enough to enter qualifying at the last two Grand Slam singles events of the year, Wimbledon and the US Open. She won her first match at the US Open, but was unable to qualify for either main draw. Nonetheless, Osaka had a strong finish to the year. In October during the WTA Finals, she won the Rising Stars Invitational four-player exhibition tournament, defeating heavy favorite and world No. 35, Caroline Garcia, in the final.WEB, Osaka Wins WTA Rising Stars Invitational,weblink WTA Tennis, October 30, 2018, Continuing to play in November, Osaka then reached the biggest final of her career at the WTA 125 Hua Hin Championships in Thailand. After a semifinal at a k event in Japan, she finished the year ranked No. 144.

2016: Newcomer of the Year, top 50

(File:Naomi Osaka (33948760861) (cropped) 3.jpg|alt=Osaka ready to serve|thumb|upright=0.9|left|Osaka at the 2016 French Open)Osaka began the season playing three tournaments in Australia. Her results during this stretch were good enough to bring her near the top 100, which allowed her to play in WTA Tour-level events all year. Most notably, she qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw at the Australian Open and made it to the third round. In particular, she upset No. 21, Elina Svitolina, in straight sets in the second round before losing to No. 16, Victoria Azarenka.MAGAZINE,weblink Australian Open Day 6: Keys beats Ivanovic after scare; Muguruza exits, Lisanti, Jamie, January 23, 2016, Sports Illustrated, September 11, 2018, Back in the United States, Osaka received a wildcard into the Miami Open, her first Premier Mandatory main draw. During the event, she won two matches including a victory over No. 18, Sara Errani.WEB, Vamos Rafa! A Popular Nadal Tries Again At Miami Open,weblink CBS Miami, March 25, 2016, October 31, 2018, Associated Press, With this success, she progressed into the top 100 of the WTA rankings for the first time.In the clay-court events leading up to the French Open, Osaka needed to qualify for every event she entered. She only managed to do so at a single event, the Charleston Open, where she lost her only match in the main draw. Nonetheless, Osaka was ranked high enough to be directly accepted into the main draw of the French Open. In her debut at the tournament, she recorded her only two clay-court match wins of the season. She also won the first set against No. 6 Simona Halep, but ultimately lost the match.WEB, Halep eliminates teenager Osaka in third-round match,weblink Japan Times, October 31, 2018, Associated Press, November 16, 2018,weblink dead, NEWS, Osaka falls short of acing a Japanese test,weblink Reuters, October 31, 2018, Pritha, Sarkar, May 27, 2016, She then did not play the grass-court season after suffering an injury shortly after the French Open.WEB, Osaka Brilliant In Brazil,weblink WTA Tennis, October 31, 2018, Osaka returned to tennis in the middle of July. At the US Open in August, she reached the third round at a major event for the third time that year. She upset No. 30 CoCo Vandeweghe in the first round before losing to No. 9 Madison Keys, in three sets.WEB, Osaka wins in U.S. Open debut; Olympic champ Puig falls,weblink Japan Times, October 31, 2018, November 16, 2018,weblink dead, During her match against Keys, she had a 5–1 lead in the third set before ultimately losing in a tiebreak.WEB, Down 5–1 in third set, Madison Keys storms back to stun Naomi Osaka in Third Round,weblink Tennis.com, October 31, 2018, After the tournament, Osaka began the Asian hardcourt season with two tournaments in Tokyo, first losing in the second round at the Japan Women's Open.WEB, Zhang Topples Osaka In Tokyo,weblink WTA Tennis, October 31, 2018, Having already reached her first two career WTA quarterfinals earlier in the year, she then made her breakthrough as a wildcard at the Premier-level Pan Pacific Open. She upset No. 12 Dominika Cibulková and No. 20 Svitolina on the road to making her first WTA final at the age of 18. At the time, Cibulkova was the highest-ranked player she ever defeated. Additionally, she was the first Japanese player to contest the final at the event since Kimiko Date in 1995.WEB, Overpowering Osaka eliminates Cibulkova,weblink Japan Times, Andrew, McKirdy, September 21, 2016, October 31, 2018, January 16, 2022,weblink dead, WEB, Wozniacki Returns To Tokyo Final After Radwanska Upset,weblink WTA Tennis, October 31, 2018, Osaka ultimately finished runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki.WEB, Wozniacki Wins First 2016 Title In Tokyo, Knocks Out Japanese Teen Osaka,weblink WTA Tennis, October 31, 2018, Nonetheless, she entered the top 50 of the WTA rankings for the first time. At the end of the season, she was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year.WEB, Osaka: WTA Newcomer Of The Year,weblink WTA Tennis, October 31, 2018,

2017: Two top-10 victories

After her huge improvement the previous year, Osaka was unable to set a new career-high ranking in 2017. Nonetheless, she maintained a steady ranking throughout the season, rising no higher than No. 44 while falling no lower than No. 68, her year-end ranking. She did not win more than two main draw matches at any event all year.Osaka's best tournament result of the season came at the Canadian Open, where she reached the round of sixteen as a qualifier. During the event, she upset No. 16 Anastasija Sevastova before needing to retire against world No. 1, Karolína Plíšková, due to an abdominal injury. She had won the second set against Plíšková.WEB, Pliskova serves up Toronto quarterfinal spot,weblink WTA Tennis, November 1, 2018, Her next best results of the year came at the last two major events of the season, where she made it to the third round at each of Wimbledon and the US Open. She had a strong debut at Wimbledon, upsetting No. 23 Barbora Strýcová, before losing to No. 11 Venus Williams.NEWS, Culpepper, Chuck, Venus Williams advances in her 20th Wimbledon. Her next opponent has been alive for 19 of them,weblink October 16, 2017, Chicago Tribune, July 5, 2017, NEWS, Harwitt, Sandra, Venus Williams tested, beats Naomi Osaka at Wimbledon,weblink October 16, 2017, USA Today, July 7, 2017, Her US Open was then highlighted by her first-round win against defending champion and No. 6, Angelique Kerber, the first top-ten victory of Osaka's career.NEWS, Naomi Osaka Ousts Angelique Kerber, the Defending Champion, at the U.S. Open,weblink The New York Times, November 1, 2018, Ben, Rothenberg, August 30, 2017, WEB, Top 5 Upsets of 2017 (No. 5): Osaka sends Kerber crashing out in New York,weblink WTA Tennis, November 1, 2018, However, her run was ended by veteran qualifier Kaia Kanepi.NEWS, Tennis: Tearful Osaka lays out broken heart after US Open loss,weblink Straits Times, September 3, 2017, November 1, 2018, Agence France-Presse, This was the second consecutive year she lost in the third round of the US Open, after having at least a one-break lead in the third set.WEB, Kaia Kanepi – Naomi Osaka,weblink Flashscore.com, November 1, 2018, Osaka in particular struggled to play on clay courts. After winning her first two matches at the Charleston Open,WEB, Rogers Rolls Past Osaka To Reach First Charleston QF,weblink WTA Tennis, November 1, 2018, she did not win another main-draw match on clay the remainder of the season. Osaka did well in her first full grass-court season on the WTA Tour, going 4–4 behind her performance at Wimbledon. Her biggest wins of the year all came on hardcourt. In addition to her results at the Canadian Open and the US Open, she also recorded a second top-ten victory over No. 5, Venus Williams, at the Hong Kong Open, her last tournament of the year.WEB, Naomi Osaka shocks her idol Venus Williams in Hong Kong,weblink Sport360, November 1, 2018,

2018: US Open champion, world No. 4

(File:Naomi Osaka (27849801707) (cropped).jpg|alt=Osaka hitting a forehand|thumb|Osaka at the 2018 Nottingham Open)Following her lack of improvement in 2017, Osaka hired Sascha Bajin to be her coach in the off-season.NEWS, Moorman, Gale, Will Sascha Bajin be the key to open Naomi Osaka's game in 2018?,weblink October 17, 2018, Tennis World, December 13, 2017, NEWS, Coaching in the Bigs: Sascha Bajin on His Coaching Strategies,weblink Tennis Channel, October 17, 2018, January 24, 2018, November 16, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20181116000145weblink">weblink dead, In their second tournament together, Osaka produced her career best result at a major event. At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round after defeating two top-20 players in Elena Vesnina and hometown favorite Ashleigh Barty, ultimately losing to world No. 1, Simona Halep.WEB, Naomi Osaka rolls past Elena Vesnina to reach third round of Australian Open,weblink Japan Times, November 2, 2018, Associated Press, March 30, 2019,weblink dead, NEWS, Mitchell, Kevin, Ashleigh Barty's Australian Open ended by assured Naomi Osaka,weblink March 8, 2018, Guardian, January 20, 2018, NEWS, Newbery, Piers, Australian Open: Simona Halep beats Naomi Osaka to reach quarter-finals,weblink March 8, 2018, BBC, January 22, 2018, This result helped her return to the top 50 within the next month.At the Indian Wells Open, Osaka had the next big breakthrough of her career. Having never won a professional title or made it past the third round at a Premier Mandatory event, she won the tournament convincingly, only dropping one set in the middle round of the tournament. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, she defeated two top-five opponents in Karolína Plíšková and Halep, the latter of which was her first victory over a current No. 1 player.WEB, Osaka serves up Pliskova upset, books Halep semifinal,weblink WTA Tennis, November 2, 2018, WEB, Osaka overwhelms Halep to reach Indian Wells final,weblink WTA Tennis, November 2, 2018, She then closed out the tournament with a win in the final over fellow up-and-coming player Daria Kasatkina, making her the youngest champion at the event in ten years.WEB, Osaka conquers Kasatkina to win first title in Indian Wells,weblink WTA Tennis, November 2, 2018, With her first title, she surged past her previous career-high ranking to No. 22 in the world. Osaka played the following week as well at the Miami Open and extended her win streak by one additional match in her first meeting against her childhood idol, Serena Williams, who was competing in just her second tournament back from maternity leave.WEB, Naomi Osaka had the greatest reaction to beating Serena Williams at Miami Open: 'Omg',weblink USA Today, November 2, 2018, Alysha, Tsuji, March 22, 2018, After her success in the early months of the season, Osaka had a rather quiet middle of the year. She reached the third round at both the French Open and Wimbledon, matching her best performance at each tournament.NEWS,weblink Keys showed "veteran moves" and capacity for clay in win over Osaka, Tignor, Steve, June 1, 2018, Tennis.com, September 10, 2018, NEWS,weblink Kerber cruises past Osaka to make Wimbledon fourth round, Juzwiak, Jason, July 7, 2018, WTA Tennis, September 10, 2018, en, The closest she came to winning another tournament was on grass at the Nottingham Open, where she lost to top seed Barty in the semifinals.NEWS,weblink Barty overwhelms Osaka in Nottingham semis, Chiesa, Victoria, June 16, 2018, WTA Tennis, September 10, 2018, Osaka did not have another breakthrough result until the US Open, where she won her second title of the year. Like at Indian Wells, she only dropped one set in the middle round of the event, this time to No. 20 Aryna Sabalenka. In the three early rounds, she only lost a total of seven games and notably recorded a double bagel victory against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.WEB, Is Naomi Osaka ready for a Grand Slam title? Is Naomi Osaka ready for a Grand Slam title?,weblink US Open, November 2, 2018, Osaka was drawn against Madison Keys in the semifinals, and was able to avenge her tough loss from the 2016 US Open to advance to the final.WEB, Dream Come True: Osaka beats Keys to set up final against Serena,weblink Tennis.com, November 2, 2018, Joel, Drucker, In the final, she defeated Serena Williams for the second time in 2018 to win her first major title. The match was marred and overshadowed by an on-court dispute between Williams and the umpire highlighted by Williams receiving a game penalty. Boos from the crowd continued during the match and the award ceremony.NEWS, Wallace, Ava, September 8, 2018, Naomi Osaka upsets Serena Williams, who received game penalty, to win 2018 U.S. Open,weblink September 14, 2020, The Washington Post, Osaka later said that the win was "a little bit bittersweet" and "it wasn't necessarily the happiest memory."NEWS, Naomi Osaka: US Open title 'not the happiest moment' after Serena Williams' outbursts,weblink October 4, 2018, BBC Sport, October 1, 2018, Nonetheless, she became the first Japanese woman to contest a major singles final and the first Japanese Grand Slam singles champion.NEWS,weblink Naomi Osaka becomes first Japanese woman to reach a Grand Slam final, Newman, Paul, September 7, 2018, Evening Standard, September 10, 2018, WEB, Osaka stuns Serena, captures first Grand Slam title at US Open,weblink WTA Tennis, November 2, 2018, David, Kane, Now ranked in the top ten, Osaka extended her win streak to ten matches by reaching the final at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo for the second time in her career. Plíšková was able to end her win streak in the final.WEB, 'With every win I feel better' – Pliskova powers to Tokyo title, snaps Osaka streak,weblink WTA Tennis, November 2, 2018, Osaka then reached the semifinals at the Premier Mandatory China Open.WEB, Anastasija Sevastova defeats Naomi Osaka in China Open semifinals,weblink Japan Times, October 6, 2018, November 2, 2018, May 21, 2022,weblink dead, With her third consecutive deep run, she rose to a career-best ranking of world No. 4, matching the record of Kimiko Date and Kei Nishikori for the highest ranking held by a Japanese player in history.WEB, Naomi Osaka historically reaches No. 4 in the WTA rankings,weblink Tennis.com, November 2, 2018, John, Berkok, Osaka closed out the year by participating at the WTA Finals, where she was grouped with Sloane Stephens, Angelique Kerber, and Kiki Bertens. She lost all three of her round-robin matches, notably retiring against Bertens due to a hamstring injury to end her season.WEB, 'It's never nice to win a match like this': Bertens into WTA Finals SF after Osaka injury,weblink WTA Tennis, October 26, 2018, November 2, 2018, Osaka finished the year as the WTA Tour leader in prize money, having earned almost $6.4 million.WEB, U.S. Open Champion Naomi Osaka Tops Simona Halep In Money Rankings,weblink Forbes, November 3, 2018,

2019: Australian Open title, world No. 1

Osaka entered the Australian Open as the fourth seed and also one of eleven players in contention for the world No. 1 ranking.WEB, Australian Open 2019: Eleven players vying for No.1 spot in Melbourne,weblink WTA Tennis, March 11, 2019, Courtney, Nguyen, She made it to the final against Petra Kvitová, having beaten Hsieh Su-wei in the third round despite being one set, 2–4 and 0–40 down at one point.NEWS, At Australian Open, Osaka Holds Off Hsieh, a Big-Seed Slayer With a Bedeviling Slice,weblink The New York Times, March 11, 2019, Karen, Crouse, January 19, 2019, Anastasija Sevastova also won the first set against her in the fourth round, while No. 8 Karolína Plíšková pushed her to three sets in the semifinals.WEB, Osaka outlasts Sevastova for first Australian Open quarterfinal,weblink WTA Tennis, March 11, 2019, WEB, Naomi Osaka outplays Karolina Pliskova to reach Australian Open final,weblink Japan Times, March 11, 2019, Associated Press, February 3, 2019,weblink dead, After Osaka won the first set in the final, Kvitová saved three championship points before breaking Osaka in back-to-back service games to win the second set. Nonetheless, Osaka recovered to win the championship. She was the first woman to win consecutive major singles titles since Serena Williams in 2015, and was the first player to follow up her first Grand Slam singles title with another at the next such event since Jennifer Capriati in 2001.WEB, Top of the world: Osaka wins AO title, takes No. 1 ranking,weblink Australian Open, January 26, 2019, Matt, Trollope, She also became the first Asian player to be ranked No. 1 in the world in singles.WEB,weblink Osaka edges Kvitova to claim Australian Open crown, Sudipto, Ganguly, January 26, 2019, Reuters, January 26, 2019, WEB, Osaka clinches second straight Slam, No.1 ranking at Australian Open over Kvitova,weblink WTA Tennis, March 11, 2019, Despite this title, she parted ways with her coach Sascha Bajin following the tournament.Osaka struggled after the Australian Open. She lost in the fourth and third rounds at the two Premier Mandatory tournaments in March, the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open.NEWS, Osaka shrugs off Indian Wells upset,weblink Reuters, March 13, 2019, November 24, 2019, WEB, Hsieh shocks Osaka to reach Miami Open fourth round,weblink WTA Tennis, November 24, 2019, After beginning the clay-court season with a semifinal at the Stuttgart Grand Prix where she withdrew due to an abdominal injury,NEWS, Naomi Osaka withdraws from Stuttgart Open semi-final with abdominal injury, BBC Sport, April 27, 2019,weblink November 24, 2019, her best results were two quarterfinals at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.NEWS, Madrid Open: Naomi Osaka loses to Belinda Bencic; Simona Halep through,weblink May 30, 2019, BBC, May 9, 2019, She also withdrew from the latter due to a right hand injury.NEWS, Naomi Osaka withdraws from Italian Open with right hand injury,weblink May 30, 2019, The Japan Times, Associated Press, May 17, 2019, May 30, 2019,weblink dead, Osaka matched her best result at the French Open, losing to Kateřina Siniaková in the third round.WEB, Katerina Siniakova, doubles No. 1, ousts top seed Naomi Osaka,weblink Tennis.com, November 24, 2019, During the grass-court season, Osaka lost in the early rounds to Yulia Putintseva at both tournaments she entered, including the first round at Wimbledon.WEB, 'Winner or error, as long as I'm winning the point' – Putintseva maintains Osaka mastery in Wimbledon stunner,weblink WTA Tennis, November 24, 2019, As a result, she lost the No. 1 ranking to Ashleigh Barty.Before the US Open, Osaka made the quarterfinals at the two Premier 5 tournaments in August, the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open, where she was defeated by Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin respectively.WEB, Serena Williams secures first win over Naomi Osaka in Toronto,weblink Tennis.com, November 24, 2019, WEB, World No. 1 Naomi Osaka withdraws mid-match from Western & Southern Open with injury,weblink Cincinnati.com, November 24, 2019, These performances helped her regain the No. 1 ranking so that she had the top seed at the US Open. Nonetheless, her title defense came to an end in the fourth round against Belinda Bencic, who defeated her for the third time during the year.WEB,weblink Brilliant Bencic ends Osaka title defence again at US Open, Macpherson, Alex, September 2, 2019, WTA Tennis, en, September 2, 2019, She then fell to No. 4 in the world. Following the tournament, Osaka went back to having her father as her coach. This change had an immediate impact, as Osaka won her next two tournaments. First, she won the Pan Pacific Open in her hometown of Osaka, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final.WEB, 'I just wanted to win this really bad': Osaka powers to hometown title at Toray Pan Pacific Open,weblink WTA Tennis, November 24, 2019, Two weeks later, she won the Premier Mandatory China Open. During the tournament, she defeated reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals and world No. 1 and reigning French Open champion Ashleigh Barty in the final, both in three sets after losing the first.WEB, 'My attitude was trash': Naomi Osaka beats Barty in China Open final,weblink The Guardian, October 6, 2019, November 24, 2019, This was Andreescu's first loss since March.WEB, 'I'm still here' – Osaka comeback halts Andreescu winning streak in Beijing quarterfinal thriller,weblink WTA Tennis, November 24, 2019, These results brought her to No. 3 in the world. At the end of the season, Osaka qualified for the WTA Finals for the second consecutive year. However, after defeating Petra Kvitová in her first match, she withdrew due to injury.WEB, Nguyen, Courtney, October 29, 2019, Naomi Osaka withdraws from Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen with injury, Bertens in as alternate,weblink November 24, 2019, WTA Tennis,

2020: Second US Open title

(File:Osaka-2020 (cropped) 2.png|alt=Osaka smiling as she walks across the court|upright=0.9|thumb|Osaka at the 2020 Cincinnati Open in New York)Osaka only played four tournaments in 2020, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the tour shutdown, she lost to No. 2 Karolína Plíšková in a semifinal at the Brisbane International and Coco Gauff in the third round of the Australian Open, squandering a chance to serve for the match in the former.WEB, Pliskova saves match point, overcomes Osaka in Brisbane Classic: "I'm proud I hung in there",weblink WTA Tennis, January 16, 2021, January 11, 2020, WEB, Streeter, Kurt, Coco Gauff Defeats Reigning Champion Naomi Osaka at Australian Open,weblink The New York Times, September 13, 2020, January 24, 2020, When the tour resumed, Osaka played the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, which were held in back-to-back weeks in New York. Osaka did not lose a match at either event. At the Cincinnati Open, she defeated four players ranked in the 20s before defaulting in the final against Victoria Azarenka due to a hamstring injury.WEB, Naomi Osaka Matches,weblink WTA Tennis, January 16, 2021, WEB, Osaka WD from Western & Southern Open final,weblink ESPN, September 13, 2020, en, August 29, 2020, Both Osaka and Azarenka reached the final again at the US Open, where Osaka became the first player to win a US Open women's singles final by coming from a set down since 1994. This was her second US Open title in three years.WEB, For a second US Open, Naomi Osaka shows she wins for more than herself,weblink Tennis.com, September 13, 2020, WEB,weblink The New York Times, September 12, 2020, September 14, 2020, en-US, Clarey, Christopher, Naomi Osaka, While Rallying for Social Justice, Wins U.S. Open Title, Following the US Open, Osaka skipped the French Open and ended her season because of her lingering hamstring injury.WEB,weblink French Open 2020: Naomi Osaka pulls out with hamstring injury, BBC Sport, September 18, 2020, February 18, 2021, During both of these tournaments in New York, Osaka drew attention for her activism. She had initially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open before the semifinal to raise awareness for the police shooting of Jacob Blake, only staying in the tournament after they chose to support her cause by postponing the event for a day.WEB, Naomi Osaka stops playing at Cincy Open as part of social justice protest,weblink Kyodo News, January 16, 2021, August 27, 2020, At the US Open, Osaka walked onto the court for her seven matches wearing a different black mask, each of which with the name of an African American who had been killed in recent years often without significant repercussions.WEB, Ramsay, George, These are the Black victims Naomi Osaka is honoring on face masks at the US Open,weblink September 14, 2020, CNN, September 14, 2020,

2021: Australian Open title, mental health issues

Osaka was seeded third at the 2021 Australian Open. She recorded straight-sets wins over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, and Ons Jabeur, before defeating Garbiñe Muguruza in three sets in the fourth round despite facing match points during the third set (the only match in which she lost a set during the tournament). She went on to defeat Hsieh Su-wei in the quarterfinals, Serena Williams in the semifinals, and 22nd seed Jennifer BradyWEB, Matias Grez, Naomi Osaka overcomes Jennifer Brady to win second Australian Open title,weblink March 9, 2021, CNN, February 20, 2021, in the final to claim her second Australian Open title.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka overpowers Jennifer Brady to win second Australian Open, February 20, 2021, Guardian, February 22, 2021, She became one of only three players in the Open Era to win her first four Grand Slam finals, alongside Roger Federer and Monica Seles.WEB,weblink Australian Open 2021 stats: Naomi Osaka emulates Roger Federer and Monica Seles; continues hardcourt dominance, February 20, 2021, ESPN, NEWS,weblink Australian Open 2021 – Naomi Osaka beats Jennifer Brady in straight sets to win women's title, ESPN, February 20, 2021, Osaka returned to the Miami Open as the second seed, making the quarterfinals for the first time. She lost the quarterfinal in a shock defeat to Maria Sakkari, winning just four games.WEB,weblink Sakkari Ends Osaka Winning Streak in Miami Quarters, WTA Tennis, March 31, 2021, June 3, 2021, As a result, Osaka missed out on regaining the No. 1 ranking.Osaka was seeded second at the French Open. Shortly before the start of the tournament, she announced that she would not conduct her mandatory media assignments.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka says she won't do press conferences during the French Open, CNN, Jill, Martin, May 27, 2021, June 1, 2021, After Osaka won her first match in straight sets and did not hold a press conference, she was fined $15,000 and threatened with rising levels of fines and expulsion.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka fined for media snub and threatened with French Open expulsion, The Guardian, Carayol, May 30, 2021, June 1, 2021, The following day, she announced her withdrawal from the tournament, citing mental health issues.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open amid row over press conferences, The Guardian, Tumaini, Carayol, May 31, 2021, June 1, 2021, Many fellow athletes and sponsors have voiced support for Osaka, with some noting a rarely discussed issue of mental health, although the overall reaction from the wider tennis community was mixed.NEWS, McCurry, Justin, Hytner, Mike, 'Courageous': Japanese athletes and sponsors voice support for Naomi Osaka,weblink The Guardian, June 2, 2021, en, On June 17, Osaka's agent announced that she would not participate in the upcoming Wimbledon Championships but would take part in the Tokyo Olympics.NEWS, Lev, Jacob, Church, Ben, Naomi Osaka will miss Wimbledon but plans on Tokyo Olympics return, says agent,weblink CNN, June 17, 2021, en, NEWS, Naomi Osaka's Loss Gives Tokyo Its Latest Olympic Setback,weblink The New York Times, July 27, 2021, Futterman, Matthew, Osaka would later return to action at the Cincinnati Open where she was defending finalist. She beat Coco Gauff in the second round but was upset by Jil Teichmann in the third round, both in three sets.At the US Open, Osaka failed to defend her title, losing her composure and the match to the eventual tournament runner-up, Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the third round, despite serving for the match in the second set. During the match, Osaka threw her racket and received a code violation for hitting a ball into the stands.WEB,weblink Tearful Naomi Osaka questions future after US Open loss to Leylah Fernandez, The Guardian, September 4, 2021, September 4, 2021, In her post-match press conference, Osaka announced another hiatus from the sport "for a while", revealing that winning did not make her happy anymore.NEWS, Fendrich, Howard, Osaka weighs another break from tennis after US Open loss,weblink January 22, 2022, AP News, September 4, 2021,

2022: Miami Open final

Osaka returned to competition at the Melbourne Summer Set 1 tournament seeded No. 1 and made the semifinals, before withdrawing due to an abdominal injury.NEWS, El-Bawab, Nadine, Naomi Osaka withdraws from Melbourne tournament due to injury,weblink February 2, 2022, ABC News, January 9, 2022, Her next tournament was the Australian Open, where she was seeded 13th and attempting to defend her title. However, she was eliminated in the third round by Amanda Anisimova, in three sets.NEWS, Jurejko, Jonathan, Australian Open: Naomi Osaka proud despite Amanda Anisimova defeat,weblink January 22, 2022, BBC Sport, January 21, 2022, Osaka described being happy despite the loss and discussed steps she is taking to improve her mental health and have "more fun on the court".WEB, Pye, John, Naomi Osaka Falls In Third Round At Australian Open,weblink NBC10 Philadelphia, January 22, 2022, January 21, 2022, NEWS, Hess, Liam, Naomi Osaka Is Out in Another Shock Defeat at the Australian Open,weblink January 22, 2022, Vogue, January 21, 2022, She dropped 71 spots in the WTA rankings to No. 85 following the tournament, with the tournament absences in 2021 contributing to the drop.NEWS, Naomi Osaka falls to No. 85 in world rankings,weblink February 2, 2022, The Japan Times, January 31, 2022, In March, Osaka entered the Indian Wells Open where she beat Sloane Stephens in the first round, but lost to Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets in the second. Osaka was upset by a heckler in the crowd during the second round and was in tears during the match. Interviewed after the match, she compared her treatment to heckling at the tournament in 2001 that led the Williams sisters to boycott it for 13 years.NEWS,weblink Naomi Osaka reduced to tears after being heckled in Indian Wells defeat, The Guardian, March 13, 2022, March 14, 2022, The following week, Osaka entered the Miami Open. She reached her first final since the 2021 Australian Open after defeating 22nd seed Belinda Bencic in the semifinals. Ranked 77 at the time, she became the lowest ranked finalist in the tournament's history. However, she lost the final to second seed Iga ÅšwiÄ…tek, in straight sets.WEB, March 31, 2022, Osaka fires 18 aces, overcomes Bencic to reach first Miami Open final,weblink live,weblink April 1, 2022, March 31, 2022, Women's Tennis Association, Following a right ankle injury at the Madrid Open, Osaka withdrew from the Italian Open.WEB, May 9, 2022, Carlos Alcaraz and Naomi Osaka withdraw from Italian Open,weblink May 9, 2022, CTVNews, en, On May 23, she lost in the first round of the French Open to Anisimova.NEWS, Clarey, Christopher, May 23, 2022, Naomi Osaka Is Out in First Round of the French Open, en-US, The New York Times,weblink May 23, 2022, 0362-4331, Playing for the first time since the French Open, Osaka won her first-round match at San Jose against Zheng Qinwen in three sets, but lost in the next round to Coco Gauff, in straight sets.WEB, Naomi Osaka takes wild card into San Jose,weblink August 13, 2022, Women's Tennis Association, en, WEB, Tennis.com, Coco Gauff holds off late fightback to defeat Naomi Osaka and reach quarterfinals in San Jose,weblink August 13, 2022, Tennis.com, en, At the Canadian Open, Osaka retired from her first match against Kaia Kanepi due to back injury.MAGAZINE, Williams, Madison, Naomi Osaka Withdraws From Canadian Open Match With Injury,weblink August 13, 2022, Sports Illustrated, en-us, Against home favorite Danielle Collins, Osaka started positive into the US Open but lost the first set in a tiebreak, and her first-round match in two sets. Her troubles continued at the Pan Pacific Open where, as the defending champion, she withdrew in the second round citing abdominal pain. She had played only one game in her first round match against Daria Gavrilova who retired due to a knee injury.WEB,weblink Osaka withdraws from Tokyo; Haddad Maia through to quarterfinals,

2023: Pregnancy and hiatus

Days before the Australian Open, Osaka announced her withdrawal from the championships, as she was expecting her first child. Osaka's 2023 season was curtailed due to her expecting with rapper Cordae.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka expecting first child with rapper Cordae, Kane, David, January 11, 2023, Tennis (magazine), Tennis.com,weblink January 11, 2023, January 11, 2023, In her withdrawal message, she confirmed with fans that she would be back for the Australian Open in 2024.WEB, Mesic, Dzevad, 2023-10-12, Australian Open boss gives clear update on Naomi Osaka's 2024 participation,weblink 2023-11-07, Tennis World USA, en, WEB, Pratt, James, 11 October 2023, Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka to make grand slam tennis returns at 2024 Australian Open,weblink live,weblink 7 November 2023, 7 November 2023, Olympics, She later announced her return at the 2024 Brisbane International.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka to begin 2024 comeback at Brisbane International,

2024: Return to tennis, First quarterfinal since 2022, Top 20 wins on clay

Osaka made her return to professional tennis as a wildcard at Brisbane.WEB,weblink Wildcards confirmed for Brisbane International 2024, December 27, 2023, Playing her first professional match since September 2022, she defeated Tamara Korpatsch in the first round in straight sets, which included a 20-point first set tiebreak, before losing to defending champion Karolína Plíšková in the second round in a very tight three-set match.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka wins first elite tennis match in return from maternity leave - CBS News, CBS News, January 2024, WEB,weblink Osaka exits early in tennis return, February 4, 2024, WEB,weblink Osaka vs. Pliskova | Round of 32 Brisbane International presented by Evie 2024 | WTA Official, January 3, 2024, In the Australian Open, Osaka faced Caroline Garcia in the first round, where she lost in straight sets.NEWS, Brewin, John, 2024-01-15, Murray crashes out, Garcia knocks out Osaka, Auger-Aliassime sinks Thiem at Australian Open – as it happened,weblink 2024-01-15, the Guardian, en-GB, 0261-3077, In the Qatar Ladies Open, Osaka reached quarterfinals where she again lost to Karolína Plíšková.WEB, Swiatek eases into Doha semifinals; Pliskova tops Osaka in two tiebreaks,weblink WTA Tennis, 15 February 2024, 16 February 2024, Osaka returned to Indian Wells, securing straight set victories over Sara Errani, 6-3, 6-1 and Liudmila Samsonova 7-5, 6-3. She fell to the 24th seed Elise Mertens in the 3rd round, 5-7, 4-6. In Miami, Osaka took out Italian player Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in straight sets before falling to Frenchwoman Carolina Garcia in their third face-off of the year! {{citation needed span|date=May 2024|Osaka kicked off her clay court season in Rouen, losing to clay court specialist and former Roland Garros semifinalist, Martina Trevisan in straight sets. She returned to Madrid with a comprehensive victory over Greet Minnen. In a tough 3-setter, Osaka to Samsonova, 7-5 in the third set.}}

National representation

Fed Cup

Osaka made her Fed Cup debut for Japan in 2017, while the team was competing in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I. Japan won all nine of their rubbers to advance out of their round-robin pool. Although Osaka won her singles match in the play-off against Kazakhstan, the team lost their other two matches and was not able to advance.WEB, Kazakhstan seals World Group II play-offs berth,weblink Fed Cup, November 3, 2018, November 16, 2018,weblink dead, The following year with Osaka absent, Japan was able to defeat Kazakhstan in the same group to advance to the 2018 World Group II Play-offs.WEB, Japan books place in World Group II play-offs,weblink Fed Cup, November 3, 2018, November 16, 2018,weblink dead, In this stage, they hosted Great Britain in a usual five rubber tie. At this point, Osaka returned to the team and won her opening match against Heather Watson.WEB, Japan and Great Britain level in Miki,weblink Fed Cup, November 3, 2018, November 16, 2018,weblink dead, After she lost her next rubber to Johanna Konta, Kurumi Nara was also able to defeat Watson to set up a decisive doubles match. Japan won that final rubber to earn promotion to World Group II in 2019.WEB, Japan books its place among the world's elite for 2019,weblink Fed Cup, November 3, 2018, May 3, 2019,weblink dead,

Hopman Cup

Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut in 2018 with YÅ«ichi Sugita. Japan was making their first appearance at the exhibition tournament since 2001.WEB, Hopman Cup Group B Preview: Japan vs Switzerland,weblink Vavel, November 3, 2018, Don, Han, December 29, 2017, They were grouped with Switzerland, the United States, and Russia, and lost all three of their ties. Osaka's only match win came in singles against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She also had a big highlight in the mixed doubles match against Switzerland when she served an ace past Roger Federer.NEWS, Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer aced by Japan's Naomi Osaka in Hopman Cup,weblink October 4, 2018, Nine.com.au, December 31, 2017,

Olympics

Osaka lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony.WEB, July 23, 2021, Tokyo 2020: Osaka becomes the first tennis player to light the Olympic Cauldron,weblink WTA Tennis, July 28, 2021, Coming into Tokyo Olympics, Osaka was ranked 2nd in the world. She lost in the 3rd round of the games to eventual finalist and silver medalist Markéta Vondroušová after two straight set victories.NEWS, Futterman, Matthew, July 27, 2021, Naomi Osaka's Loss Gives Tokyo Its Latest Olympic Setback, The New York Times,weblink

Playing style

(File:Naomi Osaka (42699829781) (cropped).jpg|alt=Osaka finishing her service motion|thumb|left|Osaka serving)Osaka is an aggressive baseline player.WEB, All You Need To Know About US Open Star Naomi Osaka,weblink BeiN Sports, November 3, 2018, She has excellent raw power, especially on her forehand and her serve. Osaka could hit {{Convert|160|km/h|mph|sigfig=1|sp=us}} forehands at the age of sixteen, and her serve has been clocked at up to {{Convert|200|km/h|mph|sigfig=3|sp=us}}, making her one of the ten fastest servers on record in WTA history.NEWS,weblink Who is Naomi Osaka? 19-year-old stole U.S. Open spotlight with Round 1 upset, Joseph, Adi, August 29, 2017, USA Today, October 16, 2017, While she can use her power to hit high numbers of winners, Osaka's key to success is to be able to win long rallies. One of the first notable instances in which that strategy proved successful was when Osaka made her first career WTA final at the 2016 Pan Pacific Open.WEB, SAP Coaches View: Osaka Outlasts In Tokyo,weblink WTA Tennis, November 3, 2018, Osaka credited improving her mental approach and cutting down on unforced errors for her breakthrough season in 2018. At the Wuhan Open towards the end of the year, she noted, "I think my biggest improvement is mental. My game is more consistent, there are not so many unforced errors. I'm not sure how many I hit today, but sometimes last year I was hitting a lot!"WEB, 'My best performance yet' – Osaka steams past Goerges in Beijing,weblink WTA Tennis, November 3, 2018, She attributed some of these changes to her coach Sascha Bajin, saying, "Since I was working with [Bajin] — and I tend to be a bit negative on myself — I feel like I've gotten a little bit more optimistic ... I fight myself a lot, so he's sort of been, like, the peacemaker." Bajin also agreed with Osaka on the impact of having a patient, positive approach in each match.

Coaches

Osaka was coached by her father Leonard François from the age of three. Patrick Tauma was one of her first coaches after she began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit. He was her coach in 2013 when she reached her first ITF final.WEB, Is Naomi Osaka a quiet warrior?,weblink Tennis World USA, November 3, 2018, March 17, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180317233133weblink">weblink Gale, Moorman, In 2014, she spent seven months training at an academy run by Harold Solomon, a former top five player and French Open finalist who has coached many top women's tennis players including Jennifer Capriati and Mary Joe Fernández.WEB, TN Q & A: Harold Solomon,weblink Tennis Now, November 3, 2018, Chris, Oddo, Under Solomon, Osaka defeated Sam Stosur for her first WTA match win. Following her loss at the 2016 US Open where she could not convert a 5–1 lead in the third set, the Japan Tennis Association helped arrange for David Taylor to be her new coach.WEB, Thomas, Louisa, The Thousand Autumns of Naomi Osaka,weblink Racquet Magazine, November 3, 2018,weblink June 24, 2018, dead, After the 2017 season, Osaka switched coaches to Sascha Bajin, who had previously served as a hitting partner to top players such as Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Caroline Wozniacki.WEB, Sascha Bajin in it for the long haul with Osaka: 'I've paid my dues',weblink WTA Tennis, November 3, 2018, Courtney, Nguyen, WEB, Naomi Osaka's coach Sascha Bajin juggles coach, peacemaker roles,weblink US Open, November 3, 2018, Richard, Osborn, With Bajin as her coach, Osaka won her first Premier Mandatory title and two Grand Slam singles titles. She also rose to No. 1 in the world after having never previously been ranked above No. 40. Bajin was named the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year in 2018.WEB, Osaka's coach, Bajin, wins 1st WTA Coach of the Year award,weblink USA Today, Associated Press, March 10, 2019, Shortly after her 2019 Australian Open title, Osaka surprisingly split with Bajin, saying, she "wouldn't put success over [her] happiness."NEWS, Split with Bajin not over money: Osaka,weblink Reuters, February 18, 2019, March 10, 2019, WEB, Osaka's split with coach shocks tennis world,weblink Japan Times, February 13, 2019, March 10, 2019, She hired Jermaine Jenkins to be her new coach from March until October. Jenkins had previously worked as a hitting partner for Venus Williams.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka hires Jermaine Jenkins as new coach, Nguyen, Courtney, February 28, 2019, wtatennis.com, March 7, 2019, Osaka temporarily replaced him with her father in September. She won her first two tournaments with him back as her coach.WEB, Tennis: Naomi Osaka announces split with coach Jermaine Jenkins,weblink Kyodo News, September 22, 2019, WEB, Naomi Osaka's Haitian father is coaching her once again,weblink The Haitian Internet, November 24, 2019, She subsequently hired Wim Fissette at the start of the 2020 season.WEB, Osaka names Wim Fissette as new coach,weblink WTA Tennis, December 15, 2019, December 15, 2019,

Endorsements

Osaka is one of the most marketable athletes in the world. She earned an estimated $16 million in endorsements alone in 2019, which placed her second among female athletes behind only Serena Williams who earned $25 million.WEB, The Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2019: Serena And Osaka Dominate,weblink Forbes, August 30, 2019, The following year, she became the highest-paid female athlete of all time, having earned $37.4 million in total, including $34 million in endorsements.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka Is The Highest-Paid Female Athlete Ever, Topping Serena Williams, Badenhausen, Kurt, May 22, 2020, Forbes, May 23, 2020, WEB,weblink Osaka Naomi highest-paid female athlete ever, May 23, 2020, NHK World-Japan, May 23, 2020, Overall, she was the 29th highest-paid athlete in 2020 and the 8th highest-paid athlete in endorsements alone.WEB, #29 Naomi Osaka,weblink Forbes, September 11, 2020, May 22, 2020, WEB, The World's Highest-Paid Athletes,weblink Forbes, May 12, 2021,weblink August 18, 2020, Nike has been Osaka's apparel sponsor since 2019,WEB, Naomi Osaka switches from Adidas to Nike!,weblink Tennis World USA, Philip, Anderson, April 6, 2019, April 6, 2019, having replaced Adidas who had sponsored her for four years.WEB, Naomi Osaka close to signing historic deal with Adidas,weblink New York Post, September 14, 2018, November 3, 2018, With Nike, Osaka has a clothing collection featuring her monogram logo that uses her initials and is inspired by the Japanese flag.WEB, Harwood, Erika, Nike Debuted Its New Naomi Osaka Logo & Apparel Collection,weblink's%20New%20Nike%20Collection%20Pays%20Tribute%20To%20Her%20Multicultural%20Roots, Nylon, January 16, 2021, November 10, 2020, MAGAZINE, Zaldivar, Gabe, Naomi Osaka's Nike Collection is More Than a Multicultural Marvel,weblink Sports Illustrated, January 13, 2021, November 13, 2020, The Japanese sporting equipment manufacturer Yonex has supplied her with rackets since 2008.WEB, Naomi Osaka serves Japan brands a golden Olympic opportunity,weblink Nikkei, November 3, 2018, Akhide, Anzai, She plays with the Yonex Ezone 98 racket, equipped with Polytour Pro 125 and Rexis 130 strings.WEB, Naomi Osaka (JPN),weblink Yonex, November 3, 2018, September 23, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180923120718weblink">weblink dead, Osaka has been represented by the IMG management company since 2016.WEB, Naomi Osaka signs with IMG,weblink Tennis World USA, November 3, 2018, Luigi, Gatto, September 27, 2016, In 2022, Osaka left IMG, in order to set up her own sports management agency, Evolve, alongside her agent, Stuart Duguid. On June 20, 2022, Osaka announced that she had signed Nick Kyrgios as her first client.WEB,weblink "Unlike any other" – Nick Kyrgios snapped up by Naomi Osaka's Evolve agency ahead of Wimbledon 2022, Eurosport, Snowball, Ben, June 20, 2022, June 23, 2022, Osaka is a brand ambassador for Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissan and Japanese electronics manufacturer Citizen Watch.WEB, Citizen nominates tennis pro Naomi Osaka as new brand ambassador.,weblink Citizen Watch, November 3, 2018, She also endorses several other Japanese companies, including noodle maker Nissin Foods, cosmetics producer Shiseido, the broadcasting station Wowow, and airline All Nippon Airways (ANA).WEB, Newcomb, Tim, The Continued Rise Of Naomi Osaka And Her Business Star,weblink Forbes, November 3, 2018, WEB, Shiseido signs tennis star Osaka to help expand global appeal,weblink The Jakarta Post, Lisa, Du, November 29, 2018, WEB,weblink All Nippon Airways announces sponsorship for tennis champion Naomi Osaka, Business Traveller, January 27, 2019, In January 2021, Osaka was named the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches, as well as for Louis Vuitton; she appeared in their Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.WEB, Oscar Holland, Naomi Osaka revealed as the new face of Louis Vuitton,weblink January 26, 2021, CNN, January 12, 2021, en, She is also endorsed by Beats Electronics, Bodyarmor SuperDrink, Mastercard, Panasonic, FTX, PlayStation, Levi's, Airbnb, Sweetgreen, Workday, and GoDaddy. Her endorsement portfolio was estimated to earn Osaka up to $60 million per year.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka, Forbes, June 23, 2022, As a result of FTX's -billion bankruptcy, Osaka was sued for her involvement.WEB, Tennis.com, Naomi Osaka among FTX celebrity promoters sued by crypto investors,weblink December 3, 2022, Tennis.com, en, WEB, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Naomi Osaka named in crypto lawsuit,weblink December 3, 2022, Nikkei Asia, en-GB, In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.NEWS, Lawler, Richard, February 18, 2022, Influencers beware: promoting the wrong crypto could mean facing a class-action lawsuit, The Verge, Vox Media,weblink July 13, 2022, Panasonic announced the signing of Osaka as brand ambassador in June 2021.WEB, June 24, 2021, Panasonic Announces Signing of Professional Women's Tennis Player Naomi Osaka as Brand Ambassador,weblink January 9, 2023, www.businesswire.com, en, She is a promoter of the "Panasonic Green Impact" initiative alongside Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen.WEB, January 4, 2023, Panasonic launches a phygital CES booth with a sustainability message,weblink January 9, 2023, VentureBeat, en-US, Panasonic enlisted the three celebrity athletes for its sustainability mission and they were part of an ad campaign for climate change that included individual commercials and a commercial in which all three athletes are featured.{{Citation |title=Panasonic GREEN IMPACT Campaign Anthem |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDByJ9gS_gM |language=en |access-date=January 9, 2023}}{{Citation |title=Panasonic GREEN IMPACT Campaign – Naomi Osaka | date=January 4, 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyvEoggbLrg |language=en |access-date=January 9, 2023}}

Activism

Osaka has become a leading activist in professional tennis. Her decision to withdraw from the 2020 Cincinnati Open in New York to raise awareness for the police shooting of Jacob Blake led the tournament to postpone all Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) matches for a day in support of her cause.WEB, Macfarlane, Christina, 'I have a lot of regrets.' Tennis champion Naomi Osaka opens up about her crippling shyness,weblink May 21, 2020, CNN, May 13, 2020, At the 2020 US Open beginning the following week, each mask she wore as she walked onto the court (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) prominently displayed the name of an African American who had been killed in the preceding few years, the majority in the year before the tournament, and the majority killed by police. She highlighted Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice; and was praised directly by the parents of Martin and Arbery.WEB, Holcombe, Martin, Jill, Madeline, Naomi Osaka nearly moved to tears by messages from families of Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin,weblink CNN, January 16, 2021, September 9, 2020, Prior to these acts of activism, Osaka had also travelled to Minnesota to attend the protests of the murder of George Floyd. She outlined her personal reasons for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and protesting against police brutality in an op-ed in Esquire magazine.WEB, Osaka, Naomi, I Never Would've Imagined Writing This Two Years Ago,weblink September 1, 2020, Esquire, July 1, 2020, Osaka was named a 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for her activism alongside the year's other prominent activist sports champions LeBron James, Breanna Stewart, and Patrick Mahomes, as well as medical worker Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.MAGAZINE, SI's 2020 Sportsperson of the Year: The Activist Athlete,weblink December 8, 2020, December 6, 2020, Sports Illustrated, en-us, She was also honored as one of the Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2020 for her activism, having also been named to the list in 2019 for representing professional tennis well as an excellent role model and a major champion.MAGAZINE, Naomi Osaka: The 100 Most Influential People of 2019,weblink September 22, 2020, Time, en-us, MAGAZINE, Naomi Osaka: The 100 Most Influential People of 2020,weblink September 23, 2020, Time, Osaka's activism has drawn attention from the scholarly community studying celebrity and advocacy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the police killing of George Floyd.JOURNAL, Deflem, Mathieu, 2023, The Criminal Justice Activism of Naomi Osaka: A Case Study in the Criminology of Celebrity Culture,weblink American Journal of Criminal Justice, 48, 3, 723–748, en, 10.1007/s12103-022-09681-w, 1936-1351, 9023043, 35475124, Deflem, Mathieu (2022). "Celebrity Activism on Racial Justice during COVID-19: The Death of George Floyd, the Rise of Naomi Osaka, and the Celebritization of Race in Pandemic Times." International Review of Sociology 32(1): 63-87. doi=10.1080/03906701.2022.2052457Osaka has been featured as the main character in a manga series published by Kodansha in Nakayoshi, a leading Japanese shojo magazine. The series is being drawn by Futago Kamikita and was made with the help of Osaka's sister Mari. The first edition appeared in the February 2021 issue of the magazine, which was released in December 2020.WEB,weblink Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka Stars in New Manga, Anime News Network, November 30, 2020, November 30, 2020, Lee, Choo Sum, WEB, Japan's tennis champion Naomi Osaka inspires manga character,weblink BBC, January 16, 2021, November 30, 2020, In March 2021, Osaka spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes.WEB, March 29, 2021, Naomi Osaka speaks out against anti-Asian hate crimes,weblink August 8, 2021, The Japan Times, en-US,

Personal life

Osaka began a relationship with American rapper Cordae (then YBN Cordae) in 2019.WEB, YBN Cordae Discusses Girlfriend Naomi Osaka's U.S. Open Success,weblink September 2, 2019, Complex, WEB, August 26, 2020, Top 5 Photos 8/26: Osaka wishes Cordae a happy birthday,weblink September 2, 2020, Baseline Tennis, In January 2023, not long after withdrawing from the Australian Open, Osaka revealed that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae. Osaka later confirmed she hoped to return to tennis for the 2024 Australian Open in January 2024, with her baby being due "in June or July 2023." During her pregnancy, Osaka was infected with Group B streptococcus, and had to undergo antibiotics for treatment. She also learned that the umbilical cord had been wrapped around her unborn child’s neck.WEB, Mohamed, Aman, "I'll be competing in Australia next year"- Naomi Osaka reveals her plans to return to Melbourne in 2024,weblink 2023-04-05, www.sportskeeda.com, April 4, 2023, en-us, WEB, Naomi Osaka talks relationship with Cordae after breakup rumors,weblink 2024-02-02, New York Post, December 14, 2023, On July 7, 2023, she welcomed a healthy baby girl.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka Welcomes First Baby, a Girl, with Boyfriend Cordae (Exclusive), People.com, EN, July 7, 2023, July 7, 2023, In 2021, Osaka became a co-owner of the North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League, the top level of women's soccer in the U.S.WEB, Naomi Osaka debuted a new kit at the Australian Open for the NWSL team she now owns,weblink Insider, February 15, 2021, WEB, Ownership,weblink North Carolina Courage, February 15, 2021, Osaka is an investor in a professional pickleball team which will be based in Miami, Florida, beginning in 2023.NEWS,weblink Naomi Osaka And Patrick Mahomes Join Wave Of Celebrities Investing In Pickleball, Knight, Brett, Forbes, December 14, 2022, December 20, 2022, en, In May 2022, Osaka announced after being represented by IMG for six years, she is partnering with her agent, Stuart Duguid, to form her own sports agency, Evolve. Her contract with IMG expired at the end of 2021, and the renewal talks were stalled. Osaka and Duguid will have equity stakes in the agency, and it will only be representing a few clients.WEB, May 13, 2022,weblink Naomi Osaka forms her own sports agency, Bizjournals, May 25, 2022,

Mental health challenges and advocacy

Osaka has lived with depression since the 2018 US Open.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka shares mental health tips, Good Morning America, May 18, 2022, In May 2021, she refused to take part in required press conferences during the French Open and was subsequently fined $15,000 and threatened with expulsion from the tournament. On May 31, Osaka withdrew from the event to deal with her mental health and well-being.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka reveals mental health struggles, NPR, May 18, 2022, Less than a month later she also pulled out of Wimbledon citing "She is taking some personal time with friends and family."WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka pulls out of Wimbledon, The Hill (newspaper), The Hill, June 17, 2021, May 19, 2022, WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka's French Open and Wimbledon withdrawals highlights athletes' mental health, June 22, 2021, Global Voices, May 19, 2022, She attempted to come back for the Olympics but the pressure of returning to the limelight was a factor in her third round loss.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka admits mental health break contributed to shock loss at Tokyo Olympics, Independent.co.uk, July 27, 2021, May 19, 2022, In September at the US Open, she lost to Leylah Fernandez and in the process threw her racket three times and received a code violation for firing a ball at the spectators.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka tearfully reveals she doesn't know if she'll play tennis again, Best Life (magazine), Best Life, September 4, 2021, May 19, 2022, Afterwards, when asked about the incident, she replied "I'm not really sure why" and "recently I feel very anxious when things don't go my way."WEB,weblink I'm dealing with stuff, TheGuardian.com, September 4, 2021, May 19, 2022, Osaka then announced she was taking an indefinite break from the sport. Later in 2021, she shared with Victoria's Secret that she is being assisted with therapy.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka joins VS Collective, talks mental health and fashion, November 17, 2021, Women's Wear Daily, May 19, 2022, At the 2022 Indian Wells Open, a heckler unsettled Osaka to the point of tears after which she had to return to therapy.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka utilizing therapy after emotional incident with heckler, People, May 19, 2022, She said the consistent therapy “really helped” and she is better prepared for incidents in the future. In a May 2022 interview, Osaka shared that while there have been ups and downs, she feels very content with her mental health journey.WEB,weblink Naomi Osaka is still prioritizing her mental health, Blavity, May 19, 2022,

Career statistics

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

{{Performance key|short=yes}}{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style=text-align:centerNaomi Osaka Grand Slam singles statistics}}!Tournament!2015!2016!2017!2018!2019!2020!2021!2022!2023!2024!{{Tooltip|SR|Strike rate}}!{{Tooltip|W–L|Win–loss}}! Win %Australian Open| A3R2R4RW3RW3R| A1R| 2 / 8| 24–6won=24integer=yes}}French Open| A3R1R3R3R| A2R1R| A|| 0 / 6| 7–5won=7integer=yes}}Wimbledon2015 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles qualifying>Q1| A3R3R1RNH| A| A| A|| 0 / 3| 4–3won=4integer=yes}}US Open2015 US Open – Women's singles qualifying>Q23R3RW4RW3R1R| A|| 2 / 7| 22–5won=22integer=yes}} style=font-weight:bold;background:#efefefWin–loss| 0–0| 6–3| 5–4| 14–3| 12–3| 9–1| 9–1| 2–3| 0–0| 0–1| 4 / 24| 57–19won=57integer=yes}}

Grand Slam tournament finals

Naomi Osaka Grand Slam singles finals statistics}}">

Singles: 4 (4 titles){| class"sortable wikitable"Naomi Osaka Grand Slam singles finals statistics}}

!scope="col"| Result!scope="col"| Year!scope="col"| Tournament!scope="col"| Surface!scope="col"| Opponent!scope="col" class="unsortable"| Score style="background:#ccf;"Win2018 US Open – Women's singles>2018 US Open (tennis) >United States}} Serena Williams 6–2, 6–4 style="background:#ffc;"Win2019 Australian Open – Women's singles>2019 Australian Open Hard {{flagiconPetra Kvitová >| 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–4 style="background:#ccf;"Win2020 US Open – Women's singles>2020 US Open (2) Hard {{flagiconVictoria Azarenka >| 1–6, 6–3, 6–3 style="background:#ffc;"Win2021 Australian Open – Women's singles>2021 Australian Open (2) Hard {{flagiconJennifer Brady >| 6–4, 6–3

See also

• Naomi Osaka (TV series)

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons}}

• {{Official website}} {{in lang|en|ja}}
• {{WTA}}
• {{ITF}}
• {{Fed Cup player}}

AUS}} Ashleigh Barty{{flagicon|AUS}} Ashleigh BartyList of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players>World No. 1| years = January 28{{nbsp}}– June 23, 2019August 12{{nbsp}}– September 8, 2019} United States}} Catherine BellisWTA Awards#Newcomer of the Year>WTA Newcomer of the Year| years=2016} }} {{Naomi Osaka}}{{Navboxes| title=Articles and topics related to Naomi Osaka| state=collapsed| list1={{navboxes|title=Naomi Osaka in the Grand Slam tournaments| list1={{Australian Open women's singles champions}}{{US Open women's singles champions}}}}{{Tennis World Number Ones (women)}}{{Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year navbox}}{{BET Award for Sportswoman of the Year}}{{Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year}}{{SI Sportsman of the Year}}{{SI Swimsuit Cover Models}}{{2020–2029 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit}}{{ESPY Female Athlete}}}}{{Authority control}}