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-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Patrick Mouratoglou (2024–)
Prize money	US $22,610,445 21st in all-time rankings
Official website	naomiosaka.com
Singles
Career record	307–176 (63.56%)
Career titles	7
Highest ranking	No. 1 (28 January 2019)
Current ranking	No. 53 (30 June 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (2019, 2021)
French Open	3R (2016, 2018, 2019)
Wimbledon	3R (2017, 2018, 2025)
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 became the world No. 1 in women's singles in January 2019. She was the first Asian player to reach this top ranking.

Naomi has won seven major singles titles on the WTA Tour. This includes four Grand Slam tournaments: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. She is the first Japanese player to win a major singles title.

Born in Japan, Naomi moved to the United States at age three. She trained there for most of her career. She first gained attention at 16 when she beat former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. This was during her first WTA Tour match in 2014.

In 2018, Naomi won her first big title at the Indian Wells Open. She then famously defeated Serena Williams in the US Open final. After winning the Australian Open in 2019, she became world No. 1.

Naomi has also spoken out about important issues. She supported the Black Lives Matter protests. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world three times. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she lit the Olympic cauldron.

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

Early Life and Tennis Start

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.

When Naomi was four, her family moved to the U.S. They lived in Elmont, New York. Her father was inspired to teach his daughters tennis after watching the Williams sisters play. He wanted to train them like Richard Williams trained his famous daughters.

Naomi and Mari began training with their father. In 2006, their family moved to Florida for better training opportunities. Naomi practiced on public courts and was homeschooled at night. When she was 15, she started working with different tennis academies.

Even though Naomi grew up in the U.S., her parents decided she would represent Japan. They felt she and Mari always felt Japanese. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) also showed little interest in her when she was younger.

Tennis Career Highlights

First Steps in Professional Tennis (2011–2015)

Osaka being interviewed at the 2014 Stanford Classic with Serena Williams

Naomi Osaka did not play much junior tennis. Instead, she started playing professional matches early. She played her first qualifying match on her 14th birthday in October 2011. She made her main debut in doubles with her sister Mari.

In September 2013, Naomi became a professional player just before turning 16. The next summer, she played her first main WTA Tour match at the 2014 Stanford Classic. She surprised everyone by beating world No. 19, Samantha Stosur. Naomi was only 16 and ranked No. 406 at the time.

She continued to improve her ranking in 2015. She reached two important finals in smaller tournaments. By the end of 2015, she was ranked No. 144 in the world.

Rising Star and Top 50 (2016)

Osaka getting ready to serve at the 2016 French Open

In 2016, Naomi played well enough to enter WTA Tour events all year. She qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw at 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.

Naomi reached the third round at the US Open in August. She had a big lead in the third set against No. 9 Madison Keys but lost the match. After this, she played in Tokyo. She reached her first WTA final at the Pan Pacific Open. She beat No. 12 Dominika Cibulková and No. 20 Svitolina. She was the first Japanese player to reach this final since 1995. Naomi finished as runner-up to Caroline Wozniacki. She entered the top 50 rankings and was named the WTA Newcomer of the Year.

Two Big Wins (2017)

In 2017, Naomi kept a steady ranking. She did not win more than two matches at any event. Her best result was reaching the round of sixteen at the Canadian Open. She beat No. 16 Anastasija Sevastova.

At the US Open, she had a great first-round win against defending champion and 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.

US Open Champion and World No. 4 (2018)

Osaka hitting a forehand in 2018

Naomi hired Sascha Bajin as her coach in 2018. At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round. This helped her get back into the top 50.

She had a huge breakthrough at the Indian Wells Open. She won the tournament, beating two top-five players, Karolína Plíšková and Simona Halep. She then beat Daria Kasatkina in the final. This made her the youngest champion there in ten years. She rose to No. 22 in the world. The next week, she beat her childhood idol, Serena Williams, at the Miami Open.

Naomi's biggest success came at the US Open. She won her second title of the year. She played very well, losing only one set before the final. In the final, she defeated Serena Williams again to win her first major title. This made her the first Japanese woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.

After the US Open, Naomi reached the final at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She then reached the semifinals at the China Open. These results pushed her to a career-best ranking of world No. 4. She finished 2018 as the WTA Tour leader in prize money.

Australian Open Title and World No. 1 (2019)

Naomi entered the Australian Open as the fourth seed. She reached the final against Petra Kvitová. Naomi won the championship, becoming 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 in singles. After this win, she decided to part ways with her coach, Sascha Bajin.

She faced some challenges after the Australian Open. She lost early in some tournaments. However, she regained the No. 1 ranking before the US Open. Her title defense ended in the fourth round against Belinda Bencic.

Naomi then had her father coach her again. This change helped her win her next two tournaments. She won the Pan Pacific Open in her hometown of Osaka. Two weeks later, she won the China Open. She beat reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in tough matches. These wins brought her to No. 3 in the world.

Second US Open Title (2020)

Osaka at the 2020 Cincinnati Open in New York

Naomi played only four tournaments in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. At the Cincinnati Open, she reached the final but had to withdraw due to a hamstring injury.

At the US Open, Naomi reached the final again, this time against Victoria Azarenka. Naomi became the first player since 1994 to win a US Open women's singles final after losing the first set. This was her second US Open title.

During these tournaments, Naomi used her platform for activism. She wore different black masks for her matches at the US Open. Each mask had the name of an African American person who had been killed. She wanted to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Australian Open Title and Mental Health (2021)

Naomi was the third seed at the 2021 Australian Open. She played very well, winning all her matches in straight sets except one. She defeated Garbiñe Muguruza in a tough three-set match. She then beat Serena Williams in the semifinals and Jennifer Brady in the final. This was her second Australian Open title.

She became one of only three players in the Open Era to win their first four Grand Slam finals. The others are Roger Federer and Monica Seles.

At the French Open, Naomi announced she would not attend press conferences. After her first match, she was fined and threatened with being removed from the tournament. She then withdrew, explaining she needed to focus on her mental health. Many athletes and sponsors supported her decision. She also did not play at Wimbledon but competed in the Tokyo Olympics.

At the US Open, Naomi lost in the third round. She later said she was taking a break from tennis because winning did not make her happy anymore.

Return to Play (2022)

Naomi returned to competition at the Melbourne Summer Set 1 tournament. She reached the semifinals but withdrew due to an injury. At the Australian Open, she lost in the third round. She said she was happy despite the loss and was working on her mental well-being.

Her ranking dropped to No. 85 due to her absences in 2021. At the Indian Wells Open, she was upset by a heckler in the crowd. She later said she was going back to therapy, which helped her.

The next week, Naomi 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.

Pregnancy and Break (2023)

In January 2023, Naomi announced she was expecting her first child with rapper Cordae. 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.

Return to Tennis (2024)

Naomi returned to professional tennis at the 2024 Brisbane International. She won her first match since September 2022. At the Australian Open, she lost in the first round. She reached the quarterfinals at the Qatar Ladies Open.

She played well at Indian Wells and Miami, reaching the third round in both. On clay, she reached the fourth round in Rome. At the French Open, she played a very close second-round match against world No. 1 Iga Świątek.

Naomi returned to grass courts for the first time since 2019. She reached the quarterfinals in 's-Hertogenbosch. At Wimbledon, she reached the second round. She also reached the second round at the US Open. Naomi ended her 2024 season early due to a back injury.

First Title Since 2021 (2025)

Naomi started 2025 at the Auckland Open. She reached her first final since 2022 but had to retire due to an injury. At the Australian Open, she reached the third round. This was her best Grand Slam result since 2022.

At the Miami Open, she lost in the fourth round. Naomi then played a smaller tournament, the WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo. She won the final, earning her first title since the 2021 Australian Open. This was also her first career title on clay courts.

Playing Style

Osaka serving in 2018

Naomi Osaka is an aggressive baseline player. She has great power, especially on her forehand and her serve. Her serve can reach 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph). This makes her one of the fastest servers in WTA history. While she hits many winners, she is also good at winning long rallies.

Naomi has said that improving her mental approach helped her a lot. She learned to be more consistent and make fewer mistakes. She also became more positive during matches.

Coaches

Naomi was coached by her father, Leonard François, from age three. She later worked with other coaches like Patrick Tauma and Harold Solomon.

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

She then hired Jermaine Jenkins and later had her father coach her again. In 2020, she hired Wim Fissette. In September 2024, she announced that Patrick Mouratoglou became her coach.

Endorsements and Business

Naomi Osaka is one of the most popular athletes for endorsements. In 2020, she was the highest-paid female athlete ever, earning $37.4 million, mostly from endorsements.

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 a brand ambassador for Japanese companies like Nissan (cars), Citizen Watch (electronics), Nissin Foods (noodles), Shiseido (cosmetics), Wowow (broadcasting), and All Nippon Airways (ANA). She also works with Tag Heuer watches, Louis Vuitton, Beats Electronics, Bodyarmor SuperDrink, Mastercard, Panasonic, PlayStation, Levi's, Airbnb, Sweetgreen, Workday, and GoDaddy.

In 2022, Naomi started her own sports management agency called Evolve with her agent, Stuart Duguid. She also launched a media and production company called Hana Kuma.

Activism

Naomi Osaka has become a leading activist in tennis. In 2020, she withdrew from the Cincinnati Open to raise awareness for 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 with the names of African Americans who had been killed. She highlighted names like Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Trayvon Martin. She was praised for her actions. Before this, she attended protests for the murder of George Floyd. She wrote about her reasons for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in Esquire magazine.

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 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

In March 2021, Naomi spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes.

Personal Life

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. On January 6, 2025, Naomi announced that she and Cordae were no longer together, but that they remain good friends and co-parents.

Mental Health Challenges

Naomi has openly shared her experiences with depression since the 2018 US Open. In May 2021, she decided not to attend press conferences at the French Open. She was fined and then withdrew from the tournament to focus on her mental health. She also pulled out of Wimbledon that year.

At the 2021 US Open, she lost her composure during a match. She later said she felt very anxious when things did not go her way. She announced she was taking a break from the sport. She later shared that she was in therapy, which helped her. In 2022, she said she felt content with her mental health journey.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Singles Performance

(Naomi withdrew before 2nd round at the 2021 French Open)

Grand Slam Tournament 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

See also

In Spanish: Naomi Osaka para niños

• Naomi Osaka (TV series)