Naomi Osaka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Naomi Osaka

Osaka at the 2020 US Open
Country (sports)	Japan
Residence	Beverly Hills, California, United States
Born	(1997-10-16) October 16, 1997 (age 27) Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	October 2012
Plays	Right
Coach	Patrick Mouratoglou (2024–)
Prize money	$22,047,163 21st in all-time rankings
Official website	naomiosaka.com
Singles
Career record	287–166 (63.36%)
Career titles	7
Highest ranking	No. 1 (28 January 2019)
Current ranking	No. 50 (6 January 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2019, 2021)
French Open	3R (2016, 2018, 2019)
Wimbledon	3R (2017, 2018)
US Open	W (2018, 2020)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	RR (2018, 2019)
Olympic Games	3R (2020)
Doubles
Career record	2–15 (11.76%)
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 324 (3 April 2017)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2017)
French Open	2R (2016)
Wimbledon	1R (2017)
US Open	1R (2016, 2017)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	WG II PO (2018)
Hopman Cup	RR (2018)

Naomi Osaka (Japanese: 大坂 なおみ, Hepburn: Ōsaka Naomi, Japanese pronunciation: [oːsaka naomi], born October 16, 1997) is a Japanese professional tennis player. She has been ranked as the world's best in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). She is the first Asian player to reach this top spot in singles tennis.

Naomi Osaka has won four major singles titles. These include two Australian Open and two US Open championships. She is the first Japanese player to win a major singles title. Overall, she has won seven titles on the WTA Tour.

Born in Japan, Naomi moved to the United States at age three. Her father is Haitian-American and her mother is Japanese. She started playing tennis at a young age. Naomi became famous at 16 when she beat a former US Open champion in her first WTA Tour match. Two years later, she reached her first WTA final.

In 2018, Naomi won her first big tournament, the Indian Wells Open. Then, she famously beat Serena Williams to win the US Open. After winning the Australian Open in 2019, she became the world No. 1 player.

Naomi Osaka is also known for speaking out on important issues. She has supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Sports Illustrated named her a Sportsperson of the Year in 2020 for her activism. Time magazine also listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world multiple times. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron.

On the court, Naomi plays with a powerful serve. Her serves can reach speeds of 201 kilometers per hour (125 mph).

Naomi Osaka's Early Life

Naomi Osaka was born on October 16, 1997, in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. Her father, Leonard François, is from Haiti. Her mother, Tamaki Osaka, is from Japan. Naomi has an older sister named Mari, who also played professional tennis. The sisters use their mother's last name. This was a common practice when only one parent had Japanese citizenship.

When Naomi was four, her family moved to the U.S. They lived with her father's parents in New York. Her father was inspired to teach his daughters tennis. He watched the Williams sisters play at the 1999 French Open. He wanted to train his daughters like Richard Williams trained Serena and Venus.

Naomi's father started coaching her and Mari in the U.S. In 2006, they moved to Florida for better training. Naomi practiced on public courts during the day. She was homeschooled at night. When she was 15, she began working with Patrick Tauma. Later, she trained at the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy and ProWorld Tennis Academy.

Even though Naomi grew up in the U.S., her parents decided she would represent Japan. They felt Naomi and Mari always felt Japanese. This decision was not about money. It was also because the United States Tennis Association (USTA) did not show much interest in her when she was young. The USTA later offered her training at age 15, but she said no.

Becoming a Professional Tennis Player

Starting Her Career (2011–2015)

Osaka being interviewed at the 2014 Stanford Classic, with Serena Williams nearby.

Naomi Osaka did not play many junior tournaments. Instead, she went straight to the professional ITF Women's Circuit. She played her first qualifying match on her 14th birthday in October 2011. She made her main-draw debut in doubles with her sister Mari in March 2012.

Naomi never won an ITF title. She reached the finals four times. In September 2013, she became a professional player just before turning 16. She played her first WTA Tour qualifying matches that month.

In 2014, Naomi qualified for her first WTA Tour main draw. This was at the Stanford Classic. At just 16 years old, she surprised everyone by beating world No. 19, Samantha Stosur. She was ranked No. 406 at the time. These wins helped her reach the top 250 rankings.

In 2015, Naomi kept improving her ranking. She reached two higher-level finals. She also played in the qualifying rounds for Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished the year ranked No. 144.

Breaking into the Top 50 (2016)

Naomi Osaka at the 2016 French Open.

Naomi started 2016 well in Australia. She qualified for her first major tournament, the Australian Open. She reached the third round, beating No. 21 Elina Svitolina. This helped her enter the top 100 rankings for the first time.

At the Miami Open, she won two matches. This included a victory over No. 18 Sara Errani. She reached the third round at the US Open. She beat No. 30 CoCo Vandeweghe.

Naomi had a big breakthrough at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She reached her first WTA final at age 18. She beat No. 12 Dominika Cibulková and No. 20 Elina Svitolina. She was the first Japanese player in the final of this event since 1995. She finished as runner-up. After this, she entered the top 50. She was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year.

Two Big Wins (2017)

In 2017, Naomi kept a steady ranking. She reached the third round at Wimbledon and the US Open. At the US Open, she had a big first-round win. She beat the defending champion and world No. 6, Angelique Kerber. This was her first win against a top-ten player.

She also beat No. 5 Venus Williams at the Hong Kong Open. This was her second top-ten victory.

Grand Slam Champion

US Open Champion (2018)

Naomi Osaka hitting a forehand at the 2018 Nottingham Open.

Naomi hired Sascha Bajin as her coach. At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round. She beat two top-20 players.

Then, she had a huge breakthrough at the Indian Wells Open. She won her first professional title. She beat two top-five players, including world No. 1 Simona Halep. She was the youngest champion there in ten years. Her ranking jumped to No. 22. She also beat her childhood idol, Serena Williams, at the Miami Open.

Naomi won her second title of the year at the US Open. She reached the final and beat Serena Williams again. This was her first major title. The match was famous for a dispute between Williams and the umpire. Naomi became the first Japanese woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.

After the US Open, she reached the final at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She also made it to the semifinals at the China Open. Her ranking rose to a career-best world No. 4. She finished the year as the WTA Tour leader in prize money.

World No. 1 (2019)

Naomi started 2019 as the fourth seed at the Australian Open. She reached the final against Petra Kvitová. Naomi won the championship. She was the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to win two major titles in a row. She also became the first Asian player to be ranked No. 1 in the world. After this win, she changed coaches.

She had some challenges after the Australian Open. She lost early in some tournaments. She also had to withdraw from some events due to injuries. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round. She then lost her No. 1 ranking.

Later in 2019, Naomi's father became her coach again. This helped her win her next two tournaments. She won the Pan Pacific Open in her hometown. Then, she won the China Open. She beat the reigning US Open champion and the world No. 1. These wins brought her to No. 3 in the world.

Second US Open Title (2020)

Naomi Osaka smiling at the 2020 Cincinnati Open.

Naomi played only four tournaments in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She reached the semifinals at the Brisbane International.

When the tour restarted, she played the Cincinnati Open and the US Open in New York. She did not lose a match at either event. She reached the final of the Cincinnati Open but had to withdraw due to an injury. At the US Open, she won her second title. She became the first player since 1994 to win the US Open women's singles final after losing the first set.

During these tournaments, Naomi used her platform to speak out. She withdrew from the Cincinnati Open semifinal to raise awareness for the police shooting of Jacob Blake. At the US Open, she wore different black masks for each match. Each mask had the name of an African American person who had been killed. She was praised by many for her activism.

Australian Open Title and Breaks (2021)

Naomi was seeded third at the 2021 Australian Open. She won all her matches in straight sets except one. She beat Garbiñe Muguruza in a tough three-set match. She then defeated Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady to win her second Australian Open title. She became one of only three players to win their first four Grand Slam finals.

At the French Open, Naomi announced she would not do press conferences. She was fined and threatened with being removed from the tournament. She then withdrew, saying she needed to take care of her well-being. She also did not play at Wimbledon.

At the US Open, she lost in the third round. She announced she would take a break from tennis. She said winning did not make her happy anymore.

Return to Play (2022)

Naomi returned to play in 2022. She reached the semifinals at the Melbourne Summer Set. At the Australian Open, she lost in the third round. She said she was happy despite the loss and was working on her well-being.

Her ranking dropped to No. 85. At the Indian Wells Open, she was upset by a heckler in the crowd. She was in tears during the match.

The next week, she reached her first final since the 2021 Australian Open at the Miami Open. She was the lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament's history. She lost the final to Iga Świątek.

She later withdrew from the Italian Open due to an ankle injury. She lost in the first round of the French Open. She also had to withdraw from the Pan Pacific Open due to abdominal pain.

Pregnancy and Return (2023–2024)

Naomi announced in January 2023 that she was expecting her first child. She withdrew from the Australian Open. She said she planned to return to tennis for the 2024 Australian Open. On July 7, 2023, she welcomed a healthy baby girl.

She made her return in January 2024 at the Brisbane International. She won her first match. At the Australian Open, she lost in the first round. She reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar Ladies Open.

At the 2024 French Open, she played a close match against world No. 1 Iga Świątek. She had a chance to win the first set and a match point. She then played on grass courts for the first time since 2019. She reached the quarterfinals in 's-Hertogenbosch. At Wimbledon, she reached the second round.

Naomi played at the US Open, beating a top-10 player in the first round. She later ended her 2024 season early due to a back injury.

Auckland Final (2025)

Naomi started her 2025 season at the Auckland Open. She reached the final but had to stop playing due to an abdominal injury.

Representing Japan

Fed Cup

Naomi played for Japan in the Fed Cup in 2017. Japan won all their matches in their group. Naomi won her singles match in the play-off. Japan later earned a promotion to World Group II in 2019.

Hopman Cup

Naomi played in the Hopman Cup in 2018. This was Japan's first time in the tournament since 2001. She won her singles match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She also hit an ace past Roger Federer in a mixed doubles match.

Olympics

Naomi had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She was ranked No. 2 in the world at the time. She lost in the third round of the games.

How Naomi Plays Tennis

Naomi Osaka serving.

Naomi Osaka is an aggressive player. She hits the ball hard from the back of the court. She has amazing power, especially with her forehand and serve. When she was 16, her forehands could reach 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph). Her serve has been recorded at up to 200 kilometers per hour (125 mph). This makes her one of the fastest servers in WTA history.

While she can hit many winners, Naomi's success also comes from winning long points. She improved her mental game in 2018. She made fewer mistakes. Her coach, Sascha Bajin, helped her become more positive. He helped her stay calm during matches.

Her Coaches

Naomi's father, Leonard François, coached her from age three. Patrick Tauma was one of her first coaches when she started playing professionally. She also trained with Harold Solomon, a famous former player and coach.

After 2017, Naomi hired Sascha Bajin. With him, she won her first major titles and became world No. 1. Bajin was named the WTA Coach of the Year in 2018. After her 2019 Australian Open win, she surprisingly split with Bajin. She said her happiness was more important than success.

She then hired Jermaine Jenkins. Later, her father coached her again for a short time. She won two tournaments with him. In 2020, she hired Wim Fissette. In September 2024, she started working with Patrick Mouratoglou.

Endorsements and Business

Naomi Osaka is one of the most popular athletes for brands. In 2020, she earned $34 million from endorsements. This made her the highest-paid female athlete ever that year.

Nike has been her clothing sponsor since 2019. She has her own clothing line with Nike. Yonex has provided her tennis rackets since 2008. She uses the Yonex Ezone 98 racket.

Naomi is also an ambassador for many Japanese companies. These include Nissan (cars), Citizen Watch (watches), Nissin Foods (noodles), Shiseido (cosmetics), Wowow (broadcasting), and All Nippon Airways (ANA). She also works with Tag Heuer watches, Louis Vuitton, Beats Electronics, Mastercard, and Panasonic.

In 2021, Naomi became a co-owner of the North Carolina Courage. This is a women's soccer team in the U.S. In 2022, she started her own sports management agency called Evolve. She also launched a media and production company called Hana Kuma.

Activism and Impact

Naomi Osaka has become a strong voice for change in tennis. In 2020, she withdrew from a tournament to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The tournament supported her by postponing matches for a day.

At the 2020 US Open, she wore different masks for each match. Each mask had the name of an African American person who had been killed. She highlighted names like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. She was praised by their families. Before this, she attended protests for the murder of George Floyd. She wrote an article explaining why she supports the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sports Illustrated named her a Sportsperson of the Year in 2020 for her activism. Time magazine also included her on their list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Naomi has also been featured as a main character in a manga series in Japan. Her sister Mari helped with the series. In 2021, Naomi spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes.

Personal Life and Well-being

Naomi Osaka has been in a relationship with American rapper Cordae since 2019. In January 2023, she announced she was pregnant with their first child. She hoped to return to tennis for the 2024 Australian Open. On July 7, 2023, she welcomed a healthy baby girl. In January 2025, she announced that she and Cordae were no longer together, but they remain good friends and co-parents.

Naomi has openly shared her experiences with taking care of her mental well-being. In May 2021, she decided not to attend press conferences at the French Open. She was fined and then withdrew from the tournament. She said she needed to focus on her well-being. She also skipped Wimbledon that year to spend time with family and friends.

At the 2021 US Open, she lost a match and showed frustration. She later announced she was taking a break from tennis. She said winning did not make her happy anymore. She later shared that she was in therapy, which helped her.

At the 2022 Indian Wells Open, a person in the crowd upset her. She said she was better prepared for such moments after therapy. She feels content with her journey to improve her well-being.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Singles Performance

Grand Slam Finals

Singles: 4 (4 titles)

Naomi Osaka Grand Slam singles finals statistics

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2018	US Open	Hard	Serena Williams	6–2, 6–4
Win	2019	Australian Open	Hard	Petra Kvitová	7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–4
Win	2020	US Open (2)	Hard	Victoria Azarenka	1–6, 6–3, 6–3
Win	2021	Australian Open (2)	Hard	Jennifer Brady	6–4, 6–3

Images for kids

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  Naomi Osaka being interviewed at the 2014 Stanford Classic, with Serena Williams nearby.

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  Naomi Osaka at the 2016 French Open.

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  Naomi Osaka hitting a forehand at the 2018 Nottingham Open.

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  Naomi Osaka smiling at the 2020 Cincinnati Open.

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  Naomi Osaka serving.

See also

In Spanish: Naomi Osaka para niños

• Naomi Osaka (TV series)