Naomi Ōsaka

📷 Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 — robi — 2017

1997 — ?

Japon

SportsSocietyCulture20th CenturyContemporary era, globalization of sport and media, debates on mental health and cultural identity

Naomi Ōsaka is a Japanese-American professional tennis player born in 1997 in Osaka. A former world number 1, she has won four Grand Slam titles. She has also been a vocal advocate for social justice and athletes' mental health.

Famous Quotes

« I think mental health awareness is very important. »

« I want to use my platform to start an important conversation. »

Key Facts

Born on October 16, 1997, in Osaka, Japan, to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother
Won the 2018 US Open against Serena Williams in a highly controversial final
In 2019, became the first Asian player to reach world number 1 (WTA)
Won four Grand Slam titles (US Open 2018, 2020; Australian Open 2019, 2021)
Withdrew from the 2021 French Open to protect her mental health, sparking a global debate

Works & Achievements

2018 US Open Victory (September 8, 2018)

The first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam, defeating Serena Williams. This historic, heavily covered match catapulted her to worldwide tennis stardom.

2019 Australian Open Victory (January 26, 2019)

She wins her second Grand Slam and reaches the world No. 1 WTA ranking for the first time.

2020 US Open Victory with Protest Masks (September 12, 2020)

By wearing seven masks bearing the names of victims of racial violence, she turned each match into an act of resistance — and won the title, combining sport with social advocacy.

2021 Australian Open Victory (February 20, 2021)

Her fourth and most recent Grand Slam title, cementing her place among the best players of her generation.

Olympic Flame Lighting — Tokyo 2020 (July 23, 2021)

A powerful symbolic moment: Naomi Ōsaka is chosen to light the Olympic cauldron before the entire world, representing a modern, multicultural Japan.

Essay "It's O.K. Not to Be O.K." in Time Magazine (July 2021)

A personal piece in which she opens up about her depression and calls for better mental health support for elite athletes.

Return to Competition After Maternity Leave — 2024 Australian Open (January 2024)

Following the birth of her daughter Shai in 2023, she made a widely celebrated comeback, inspiring many female athletes on balancing motherhood and a professional career.

Anecdotes

In 2018, at just 20 years old, Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams in the US Open final in a historic but tense match. After the umpire issued several penalties against Williams, the crowd booed loudly. Naomi, in tears during the trophy ceremony, apologized for winning — an image that went around the world and revealed her extraordinary sensitivity.

At the 2021 French Open, Naomi Osaka decided to boycott the mandatory press conferences, citing the negative impact of media on her mental health. She was fined and then withdrew from the tournament. Her decision sparked a global debate about the psychological well-being of elite athletes and their right to protect their mental health.

During the 2020 US Open, held amid the Covid-19 pandemic and in the context of police violence against Black Americans, Naomi Osaka wore seven different masks throughout the tournament, each bearing the name of a victim of racial violence — including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She won the title, turning each victory into a tribute.

Naomi Osaka was born to a Haitian-American father and a Japanese mother. Having grown up in the United States, she chose to represent Japan in international competition. In 2021, she had the honor of lighting the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games, becoming a powerful symbol of multicultural Japan.

Primary Sources

Naomi Ōsaka's public statement on social media — withdrawal from Roland-Garros (May 31, 2021)

I think the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can focus on the tennis.

Naomi Ōsaka's essay in Time Magazine — 'It's O.K. Not to Be O.K.' (July 2021)

We ask athletes to be courageous on the court, but we forbid them from admitting they are struggling off it. I want to change that.

Trophy ceremony speech at the 2020 US Open (September 12, 2020)

I wanted people to know who I was talking about. I wanted those names to be heard. If you want to know what message I was trying to send, what's the most important thing you learned this week?

Interview with BBC Sport following her withdrawal from Roland-Garros (May 31, 2021)

I am someone who has suffered from long bouts of depression since the US Open 2018, and I am not very good at communicating about these things.

Key Places

Osaka, Japan

Naomi Ōsaka's birthplace, from which she takes her name. Although she grew up in the United States, she chose to represent Japan and has partially settled there.

Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York (US Open)

The stage for her two US Open victories (2018, 2020), this stadium is the site of her greatest triumphs and iconic moments of social activism.

Melbourne Park, Australian Open

Naomi has won two titles here (2019, 2021), cementing her status as a world champion. Rod Laver Arena was where she became world number 1.

Japan National Stadium, Tokyo (2020 Olympics)

It was here that Naomi Ōsaka lit the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games in July 2021, watched by billions of viewers around the world.

Roland Garros, Paris

In 2021, her withdrawal from this tournament to protect her mental health made headlines around the world and changed how professional sports views the psychological well-being of athletes.