Top 10 Facts about Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka smiles during her match against Azarenka in the 2020 US Open Finals photo by AndrewHenkelman – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Facts about Naomi Osaka

Regardless of whether you’re a sports enthusiast, you’ve probably heard of Naomi Osaka. One of today’s most notable tennis players with quite a respectable reputation in Japan . Naomi Osaka is a tennis player from Japan who has built a name for herself in the sports world. She is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history, having won countless tournaments, trophies, and accolades during her brilliant career.

Osaka is one of the most intimidating and approachable players in women’s tennis right now. She is regarded as an excellent skill on the court as well as a fashion star with millions in annual advertising earnings. Her candour about her challenges and campaigns, as well as the pressures of expectations, prompted many athletes and others to share their own experiences. Here are the top 10 facts about this phenomenal tennis star.

1. Osaka renounced her US citizenship to play for Japan

Naomi Osaka at the 2020 Summer Olympics photo by Secretaría de Deportes – Wikimedia commons

Naomi Osaka was born in Chūō-Ku, Osaka, Japan on October 16, 1997, to parents Tamaki Osaka and Leonard François. Her father is from Jacmel, Haiti, while her mother is from Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. Naomi Osaka was born in Japan and moved to the United States when she was three years old. She had dual citizenship, but because Japanese law requires her to choose only one at the age of 22, she chose to preserve her Japanese citizenship.

Her father, who believed that the Japan Tennis Association will be more supportive of her than her US counterpart, also impacted her decision to play for Japan.

Here are some of the best tennis players from Japan.

2. Osaka has never participated in the ITF Junior Circuit

Osaka played in a small number of junior competitions at various age levels but never on the ITF Junior Circuit, the top international junior tour. Instead, she skipped over to the ITF Women’s Circuit and, on her 14th birthday, participated in her first qualifying match there in October 2011. She subsequently joined her sister Mari Osaka for her subsequent tournament in March, where she made her professional main-draw debut in doubles.

3. She is a four-time grand slam winner

Osaka WMQ15 (6) photo by si. Robi – Wikimedia commons

Naomi Osaka has four Grand Slam titles to her name. The first came in 2018 when she stunned Serena Williams in the final of the US Open. She then won the Australian Open in 2019 and the US Open for the second time in 2020, for a total of three titles. The Japanese star most recently won the 2021 Australian Open, defeating Jennifer Brady in the final 6-4, 6-3.

4. Osaka is the first Asian player to be ranked world No. 1 by WTA

Naomi Osaka photo by Peter Menzel – Wikimedia commons

She is the first Asian player to achieve the No. 1 singles ranking in the world, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Osaka, one of the 11 women vying for the world No. 1 spot, began the Australian Open as the fourth seed.

She made history by being the first woman to win consecutive major singles championships since Serena Williams in 2015 and the first person since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to win her first Grand Slam singles title followed by another at the following similar event. She also became the first Asian player to have the top singles ranking in the world.

5. She was the highest-earning female athlete of all time in 2020

With an endorsement income ranking of eighth among all athletes in 2020, Osaka is one of the most marketable athletes in the world. By annual salary that year, she was also the highest-paid female athlete of all time. Throughout 2020, the Japanese superstar, who has aided in bringing attention to mental health concerns in sports, earned $57.3 million in prize money and endorsements.

6. She’s the first tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony

Naomi Osaka is holding the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics photo by Secretaría de Deportes – Wikimedia commons

In the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Naomi Osaka became the first tennis player to light the Olympic Cauldron. Petra Kvitova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Veronica Cepede Royg represented their respective countries. The honour was given to the four-time Grand Slam champion and Japanese celebrity, who kicked off the international multi-sport tournament. Osaka became the first tennis player in Olympic history to light the flame.

Osaka joins the ranks of other athletic giants who have received the distinction in previous years, including American boxer Muhammad Ali, Australian track great Cathy Freeman, and Korean figure skater Kim Yuna.

7. She was the 2021 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

Naomi Osaka on Rod Laver Arena (Photo by Rob Keating) – Wikimedia commons

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, a tennis player, won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year in 2021. Awarded annually, the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year recognizes the accomplishments of one sportswoman.

8. Osaka is a mental health and racial justice activist

Osaka is a vocal supporter of racial justice and mental wellness. When news of police violence against black people surfaced, she withdrew from the 2020 Cincinnati Open to bring awareness to Jacob Blake, a black man who was a victim of police brutality.

Osaka also travelled to Minneapolis that year to make a donation and voice her opposition to the police officer-assassinated George Floyd. She protested racial injustice by wearing several masks with the names of people who had been the victims of police brutality at the 2020 US Open. Osaka has also drawn attention to the problem of mental health concerns, especially those that affect athletes and the media.

Osaka started a larger conversation about mental health issues among athletes when she skipped press conferences for the 2021 French Open and completely withdrew from the tournament to focus on her mental health. She also pointed out that the questions posed during sports news conferences show that few people are interested in the mental health of sportsmen.

9. Osaka and rapper Cordae are dating

Cordae live auf dem Openair Frauenfeld 2019 photo by Frank Schwichtenberg – Wikimedia commons

The rapper first acknowledged Osaka and Cordae’s romance in July 2019 on a radio program. Interestingly, Cordae didn’t know who Osaka was when they first met, despite her fame in the sports world. We know that they are incredibly supportive of one another based on what they have so far demonstrated even though they both chose to keep their relationship off of social media. 

10. Osaka enjoys video games

Osaka enjoys playing video games, with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim being her favourite, in addition to tennis. She frequently returns home after lengthy training sessions to play Overwatch, a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter, with her elder sister for roughly four to five hours nonstop.

Intriguingly, despite having a reputation for playing aggressively on the court, she frequently plays a healer or a defensive role in Overwatch.

Check out some of the most famous people from Japan.