Naomi Osaka, a prominent Japanese tennis player, was born on October 16th, 1997, in Osaka, Japan.
Osaka was on track to become a professional tennis player before she even turned two! Her father, Leonard François, watched Venus and Serena Williams play at the 1999 French Open and was immediately inspired to train his daughters in the sport. François began making this dream a reality when he moved the family to New York when Osaka was three.
The gifted Osaka was trained by her father alongside her sister Mari, who also happens to be a professional tennis player! This training proved fruitful; in October 2011, she went on to compete in the ITF Women’s Circuit! It was a grand achievement considering she was only 14 at the time! Osaka’s professional career has been thriving ever since; she has garnered many grand achievements. With this in mind, let us jump right into her stellar career!
Osaka climbed the ranks in status and popularity in the following years, leading to her first WTA title match win in 2018. To win the title, she competed against hard-hitters, including the renowned Karolina Pliskova.
Some other notable achievements Osaka has garnered include,
- #3 in Singles (2020)
- Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year (2019)
- Beat Serena Williams for the Grand Slam Title (2018)
- The First Asian Player to Hold #1 Spot (2018)
- Beat Samantha Stosur at the Age of 16 (2014)
Her immense talent is indisputable!
Osaka has been the Grand Slam champion three years in a row, from 2019 to 2020. In 2018, when she won against Serena Williams at the U.S. Open, her win was surrounded by controversy due to Williams claiming the chair umpire called an incorrect code violation.
Her achievements have made her quite a marketing tool. In 2019, she earned around 16 million dollars in endorsements. That is close behind Serena Williams, who earned 25 million in endorsements.
The powerhouse that is Naomi Osaka currently plays for her home country of Japan. She is becoming a tennis legend, much like her idol, Serena Williams. We cannot wait to see what Osaka’s career holds! What is your favorite Naomi Osaka match?