Naomi Osaka Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 11 in |
Weight | 69 kg |
Date of Birth | October 16, 1997 |
Zodiac Sign | Libra |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Naomi Osaka turned pro just a month short of her 16th birthday. At that time, she was considered as one of the most exciting prospects in the female tennis circuit. Over the years, she has steadily improved her game and has made undeniable progress in the WTA Tour events. Naomi made her Grand Slam debut at the start of 2016 and has, since then, delivered great performances in several high-profile tennis events including defeating Maria Sharapova at Indian Wells and Venus Williams in the Hong Kong Open.
Born Name
Naomi Osaka
Native Name
大坂 なおみ
Nick Name
Naomi
Sun Sign
Libra
Born Place
Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan
Residence
Beverly Hills, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Naomi Osaka went to the Elmont Alden Terrace Primary School. After she found it hard to find time for regular education because of her tennis commitments, she got enrolled at the Broward Virtual High School, from where she completed her high school education.
Occupation
Professional Tennis Player
Family
- Father – Leonard “San” François
- Mother – Tamaki Osaka
- Siblings – Mari Osaka (Older Sister) (Professional Tennis Player)
Manager
Naomi Osaka is represented by IMG.
Plays
Right-Handed (Two-Handed Backhand)
Turned Pro
September 2013
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 11 in or 180 cm
Weight
69 kg or 152 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
Multiracial
On her father’s side, she has Haitian ancestry. While on her mother’s side, she is of Japanese descent.
Hair Color
Dark Brown
She has often given ‘blonde’ highlights a try.
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Curly Hair
Brand Endorsements
Naomi Osaka has inked an endorsement deal with Adidas. So, she often uses her social media posts to promote the popular sportswear brand. She has also used her social media posts to promote other brands such as Palace Skateboards.
In December 2016, she inked endorsement deals with broadcaster WOWOW and food brand, Nissin.
She became the brand ambassador for CITIZEN Watches in 2018.
Best Known For
Being one of the best Japanese female tennis players. She is also considered as one of the most popular and finest players in the female circuit.
First Tennis Match
In 2013, she played her first tennis match.
In July 2014, she made her WTA Tour main draw debut after having defeated Alla Kudryavtseva and Petra Martić in the qualifying round. She was paired against Samantha Stosur and despite being a set down, she managed to win the match, which lasted for 2 and a half hours.
Personal Trainer
Apart from her hour-long tennis practice sessions, Naomi Osaka also spends considerable time in the gym to improve her fitness and game. She focuses on functional training to make her stabilizing muscles stronger and to develop game-related endurance. She has also added boxing to her workout regime.
Naomi Osaka Favorite Things
- Idol – Serena Williams
- City – Tokyo
- Pump Up Song – Crisis by Rich Brian ft. 21 Savage
Source – Popsugar, RacquetMag.com, ESPN
Naomi Osaka Facts
- When she was 3 years old, her family moved to the United States and decided to settle down in Florida.
- At the age of 3, she started her tennis coaching under the supervision of her father Leonard François.
- She took her early tennis training at Harold Solomon Institute (Florida Tennis SBT Academy) and ProWorld Tennis Academy.
- As she has dual, Japanese and American, citizenship, she was courted by both Japan Tennis Association and the American Tennis Association. However, her father decided to register her with the former as he felt that they were offering her better support and assistance.
- In November 2015, Naomi managed to win her first WTA Final as she emerged victorious at the Rising Stars Invitational exhibition tournament.
- In January 2016, she made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open. She managed to reach the 3rd round of the tournament, where she was defeated by former champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
- In 2016, she was voted as the newcomer of the year and was honored for the same at WTA Awards.
- At the start of 2018, Naomi changed her coach and hired Aleksander Bajin. By the summer, she also started training at Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida. These changes did wonders to her game as by September, she was ranked #19 after starting the year in the 68th rank.
- In March 2018, she grabbed worldwide attention as she managed to defeat Serena Williams in the first round of the Miami Open. She managed to steamroll her idol in straight sets.
- In September 2018, she defeated Madison Keys in straight sets in the semifinals of the US Open. It helped her achieve the first appearance in the finals of the Grand Slam event.
- With her semi-final victory in the 2018 US Open, she became the first Japanese female player to reach a Grand Slam final. Later, she beat Serena Williams in the final of the US Open 2018 and made history as she became the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam title. With this win, she also reached the world ranking of no 7.
- Her playing style is aggressive in nature. Her ball serving speed can go up to 125 miles per hour (or 200 km/h).
- Naomi Osaka is one of the most marketable athletes in the world due to her multi-ethnic background, personality, and multiple Grand Slam singles win.
- She won the US Open 2020 title (in singles category) where she played against Victoria Azarenka in the finals. This was her second US Open title win. The first one happened in 2018.
- She has graced the cover of Vogue magazine’s January 2021 issue.
- Visit her official website @ naomiosaka.com.
Featured Image by Naomi Osaka / Instagram
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