Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka
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Name:
Naomi Osaka
Who is:
,
Birth date:
(27 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan
Height:
5'11 ft ()
Weight:
152 lb (69 kg)
Relationship:
single
Namesakes:
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:

Naomi Osaka's Biography

Naomi Osaka, a Japanese tennis player, exploded onto the world tennis scene, knocking from their pedestals Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Daria Kasatkina, and other famous athletes. In 2019, she became the first Asian woman to claim the world No. 1 ranking and win two consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.
In the photo: Naomi Osaka
In the photo: Naomi Osaka

Childhood and Youth

Naomi was born in October 1997 in Osaka, in an international family that was atypical for Japan. She owes her exotic looks and dark skin tone to her father, Haitian Leonard Francois, whom her mother, native Japanese Tamaki, met during her college years.
Naomi Osaka with her parents
Naomi Osaka with her parents
Tamaki's parents disapproved of her choice, which forced the young family to move to Osaka, far away from their angry relatives. There, they had two daughters—Naomi and her older sister Mari—whom their father planned to mold into tennis champions.
Naomi Osaka in her childhood
Naomi Osaka in her childhood
Inspired by the Williams sisters' success and earning power, Francois moved the family to New York and then to Florida, home to the best tennis schools in the United States. Naomi was only three years old when she first held a racket. Mari also dedicated her life to professional tennis, even though she did not achieve the same success as her younger sister.
Osaka sisters in childhood
Osaka sisters in childhood
To avoid expensive long-term coaching contracts, Francois moved the girls from one school to another. When Naomi and Mari began showing promising results, he started looking for sponsors who could cover some of the costs.
Tennis player Naomi Osaka
Tennis player Naomi Osaka
Despite their age difference, Naomi overtook her older sister in results and soon made a name for herself as a promising athlete. Coaches smartly built her game around her powerful serve and strong groundstrokes, while her endurance impressed even seasoned players.

Professional Sports

With her imposing height, powerful build, and exceptional technique, 14-year-old Naomi made her ITF tournament debut, bypassing the junior circuit entirely. By June 2013, the rising star had reached the finals of circuit tournaments, capturing widespread attention from the tennis world. In 2014, the Japanese phenom reached the final of an international tournament in Mexico, and that summer, she earned professional qualification in Stanford before making a stunning main draw debut at the WTA tournament, defeating former US champion Samantha Stosur.
Naomi Osaka in 2014
Naomi Osaka in 2014
Summer 2015 marked Naomi's final ITF appearance as she made the complete transition to WTA competition, setting her sights on Grand Slam glory. Making her Australian Open debut in 2016, she powered through to the third round, matched that performance at the French Open, and reached the third round again at the US Open. By year's end 2016, the Japanese sensation earned the "Newcomer of the Year" award and cracked the WTA's top 50 rankings.

2017 proved solid for Naomi – she reached the third round at Wimbledon again, made her successful Federation Cup debut for Japan, stunned world No. 6 Angelique Kerber at the US Open, and took down Venus Williams in Hong Kong.
Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka
Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka
2018 became the breakout year that changed everything for the young star. She toppled elite opponents including Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, and Daria Kasatkina before claiming the US Open title, defeating her childhood idol Serena Williams in the final. This historic victory catapulted Naomi to world No. 7 and made her the first Japanese player ever to capture a Grand Slam title.
Naomi - the champion of the American Grand Slam tournament
Naomi - the champion of the American Grand Slam tournament
The 2019 Australian Open final proved even more dramatic and nail-biting, with Naomi facing off against Petra Kvitova. The showdown between the 21-year-old who had stormed into Grand Slam contention just months earlier and the seasoned Czech veteran with an impressive trophy collection had even professional oddsmakers stumped. Even more was on the line – two major prizes awaited, with the winner automatically claiming the world No. 1 ranking.
Naomi Osaka vs Petra Kvitova
In a grueling battle, Naomi seized victory from her opponent's grasp, dominating the final two sets. Capturing her second consecutive Grand Slam title, Osaka made history as the first Asian player to reach world No. 1.

Just two weeks after her triumphant victory at the Australian Open, Naomi announced the termination of her contract with Sascha Bajin, the WTA's 2018 Coach of the Year. Their collaboration lasted about a year, and many credit the renowned German tennis pro with much of her recent success, former coach and sparring partner of Serena Williams.
When pressed by reporters, Naomi gave vague answers about their split, citing disagreements but insisting money wasn't a factor. Sascha, in turn, wished his former protégé further success and promised to write a book about their joint work. Another hot topic, widely discussed in the press, is the citizenship of the world's No. 1 player. The athlete had two passports – Japanese and American, but according to Japanese laws, after 22 years, the country doesn't allow dual citizenship. As a result, in 2019, Naomi renounced her US citizenship.

Osaka's athletic success has landed her numerous endorsement deals, worth millions of dollars: she's the face of cosmetics giant Shiseido, collaborates with Citizen, Nissan, All Nippon Airways, Procter & Gamble, and Adidas. These deals helped make her 2019's highest-paid female athlete.
In 2018, Osaka participated in a tournament in Tokyo – in this competition, the tennis player reached the final, but lost with a score of 4-6, 4-6. The WTA Finals also ended unsuccessfully for her – Naomi failed in three matches and took fifth place in the singles ranking. However, in early 2019 in Brisbane, the athlete managed to reach the semi-finals, and later Osaka battled Czech star Petra Kvitova for the world No. 1 ranking. Naomi claimed victory and reached the world No. 1 spot.
Naomi Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka, 2020
In 2020, Naomi Osaka had to pause her competitive activity due to the coronavirus pandemic, but in September of the same year, she participated in the US Open and defeated Victoria Azarenka, becoming the first player in 25 years to win the tournament after dropping a set.

On the eve of the Australian Open 2021, Naomi reached the semi-finals at the Gippsland Trophy. But she then withdrew from the tournament, allowing Belgian Elise Mertens to advance to the final. By April 2022, Naomi was again at the center of the tennis world. For the third time in her career and the first time since 2019, she reached the final of the Miami Open WTA 1000 event. There, she faced world No. 2 Iga Świątek in the final. The match was hard-fought, but Naomi fell short, losing 4-6, 0-6.
Naomi Osaka and Iga Świątek
Naomi Osaka and Iga Świątek
This was her first WTA tournament since winning the Australian Open the previous year. After this tournament in 2022, Naomi managed to win only two matches.

In the fall of 2022, the tennis player put her career on hold due to a joyful event – she was expecting a baby.

Personal Life of Naomi Osaka

In 2021, Naomi went public with her relationship with rapper Cordae.
Naomi Osaka and her boyfriend
Naomi Osaka and her boyfriend
On July 9, 2023, the couple welcomed their daughter Shai. Naomi announced the arrival with a heartfelt social media post:
Naomi considers Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori a close friend.

Naomi's an introvert who'd rather spend quiet evenings with family than hit the party scene, and she's passionate about Pokémon and traditional Japanese cuisine.

She protested after George Floyd's killing and stepped onto the court wearing a mask bearing the name of Tamir Rice, the boy shot by police, making her stand against racism crystal clear.
I'm a daughter, a sister, a friend and a girlfriend. I'm Asian, I'm Black and I'm female. I'm as normal a 22-year-old as anyone, except I happen to be good at tennis. I've accepted myself as just me: Naomi Osaka.

Naomi Osaka Now

Becoming a mother hasn't derailed Naomi's career - she's planning her return to the court in 2024.
Naomi Osaka Continues Her Career in Big-Time Sports
Naomi Osaka Continues Her Career in Big-Time Sports
  • I`m so proud of naomi,she`s my idole
    2021-09-22 17:16:27
  • So this little girl was able to outplay tennis legend Serena Williams? Wow, I`m shocked.
    2021-04-25 21:49:29
  • It`s bad when your parents decide for you who you will become in the future... Poor girl Naomi
    2021-04-16 10:43:47
  • A wonderful athlete who will show everyone in the future what professionalism is
    2021-04-15 16:27:49
  • I believe that Osaka has absorbed the best qualities of both parents!
    2021-04-02 23:58:25
  • In my opinion, Naomi Osaka is a very beautiful and atypical girl for Japan.
    2021-03-03 15:00:43
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