50 Fun Facts About Naomi Osaka

Osaka's father Leonard François comes from which country?

Haiti is his homeland, Jacmel specifically, while her mother Tamaki comes from Nemuro in Hokkaido, Japan.

Which American beat Naomi Osaka in the 2025 US Open semifinals?

Amanda Anisimova won in three close sets, and the run still lifted Osaka back into the top 20 for the first time since January 2022.

Naomi Osaka's stated goal, 'to be the very best, like no one ever was', quotes which theme song?

Pokémon's theme gave her the line, and she apologised straight away: 'I'm sorry; that's the Pokémon theme song.'

Which 15-year-old did Naomi Osaka invite into her on-court interview at the 2019 US Open?

Coco Gauff had just lost 6–3, 6–0 and was in tears, so Osaka asked her to speak to the crowd, an honour usually kept for the winner.

Watching which pair at the 1999 French Open inspired Osaka's father to coach his daughters?

The Williams sisters at the 1999 French Open inspired him, so he followed the blueprint Richard Williams had drawn up for his own daughters.

In 2006, which state did Naomi Osaka's family move to so the girls would have better opportunities to train?

Florida's public courts in Pembroke Pines became her training ground by day, and she was homeschooled at night.

Whom did a 16-year-old Osaka upset in her WTA Tour debut at the 2014 Stanford Classic?

Samantha Stosur lost after Osaka saved a match point in the second-set tiebreak and came back from 5–3 down in the third set.

Osaka reached her first WTA final in 2016 at which tournament?

The Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo made her the first Japanese finalist there since Kimiko Date in 1995, though Caroline Wozniacki beat her.

Osaka's first WTA title came at which 2018 event?

The Indian Wells Open final went her way against Daria Kasatkina, making her the event's youngest champion in ten years and lifting her to No. 22.

Whom did Osaka beat in the 2018 US Open final for her first major title?

Serena Williams's dispute with the umpire drew boos that lasted through the ceremony, and Osaka later called the win 'a little bit bittersweet'.

Who coached Osaka during her 2018 breakthrough and was named the first WTA Coach of the Year?

Sascha Bajin had spent years as a hitting partner for top players before coaching Osaka, who split with him soon after the 2019 Australian Open.

Whom did Osaka beat in the 2019 Australian Open final to become world No. 1?

Petra Kvitová saved three championship points to force a third set before Osaka won it and took over the No. 1 ranking.

Which Chinese two-time major champion peaked at No. 2 before Naomi Osaka reached No. 1?

Li Na, the first Asian-born major singles champion, peaked at No. 2 in 2014, and Osaka became the first Asian player ranked No. 1 in singles.

Whom did Osaka beat in the 2020 US Open final after losing the first set?

Victoria Azarenka won the first set 6–1 before Osaka took the next two 6–3, the first US Open women's final won from a set down since 1994.

Whose name was on Naomi Osaka's first-round mask at the 2020 US Open?

Breonna Taylor's name opened a run of seven masks, one per match, and the parents of Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery sent her their thanks.

Osaka briefly withdrew from the 2020 Cincinnati Open in protest at the police shooting of whom?

Jacob Blake's shooting led her to pull out, and the tournament postponed all its matches for a day in support, so she returned and reached the final.

Whom did Osaka beat in the 2021 Australian Open final for her fourth major?

Jennifer Brady, the 22nd seed, lost the final, and Osaka's toughest test had come against Garbiñe Muguruza, who held match points against her.

Before Naomi Osaka in 2021, which woman was the last to win each of her first four Grand Slam finals?

Monica Seles won her first six major finals, starting with the 1990 French Open, where she became its youngest champion at 16.

Fined for skipping press at the 2021 French Open, why did Naomi Osaka then withdraw?

Mental health was her reason: she revealed long bouts of depression since the 2018 US Open, and she skipped Wimbledon weeks later.

Which rising player beat Osaka in the third round of the 2021 US Open, prompting a hiatus?

Leylah Fernandez, the eventual runner-up, beat her in three sets, and Osaka later said winning no longer made her happy.

Osaka was the first tennis player to do what at an Olympic opening ceremony?

She got to light the cauldron at the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony, then lost in the third round of the tennis event.

Which rapper is the father of Osaka's daughter, born in July 2023?

Formerly YBN Cordae, they dated from 2019; she announced in January 2025 that they had split with 'no bad blood'.

Osaka's 2025 title at Saint-Malo, her first since 2021, was her first on which surface?

Clay had never yielded her a title before Saint-Malo, a WTA 125 event where she beat Kaja Juvan in her first appearance below tour level since 2015.

Which teenager beat Osaka in the 2025 Canadian Open final?

Victoria Mboko won in three sets after Osaka had saved a match point and beaten three top-20 players to reach her first WTA 1000 final since 2022.

Osaka's agency Evolve, founded in 2022, signed which player as its first client?

Nick Kyrgios signed with Evolve, which Osaka launched in 2022 with her agent Stuart Duguid, and the agency later staged his 2025 Battle of the Sexes exhibition.

Which French fashion house named Naomi Osaka a brand ambassador in January 2021?

Louis Vuitton put the three-time major champion in its Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.

Osaka became co-owner of which NWSL club in 2021?

North Carolina Courage co-ownership came in 2021, and she has also invested in a professional pickleball team.

Which Japanese company has supplied Osaka's rackets since 2008?

Yonex has supplied her rackets since 2008, and she plays its Ezone 98 model.

Which instant-noodle company withdrew an ad that drew Osaka with white skin and light brown hair?

Nissin Foods apologised and withdrew the advert after criticism, and she has also endorsed Nissan, Shiseido and All Nippon Airways.

Naomi Osaka's income as a top-earning athlete comes mostly from what?

Endorsements from more than 20 companies bring in far more than her prize money, including about $34 million in 2020 alone.

Ranked 77th, Naomi Osaka reached her first final since 2021 at which 2022 event?

The Miami Open final ended 6–4, 6–0 against her, but no lower-ranked player had ever reached that final.

Osaka made her first career Wimbledon quarterfinal in 2026 by beating which world No. 1?

Aryna Sabalenka's defeat snapped Osaka's losing streak against her and gave Osaka her first top-10 win away from hard courts.

Osaka's first tour-level final away from hard courts came in 2026 at which grass event?

Bad Homburg's final ended with her retiring a set down against Karolína Muchová, just before her first run to the Wimbledon fourth round.

Which streaming service released the 2021 docuseries Naomi Osaka?

Netflix's three-part series was directed by Garrett Bradley, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker who followed Osaka over two years.

Osaka's coach from mid-2025, Tomasz Wiktorowski, previously coached which player?

Iga Świątek was his previous charge, and Osaka hired him in mid-2025 after working with Patrick Mouratoglou from September 2024.

Who was Osaka's coach for the entire 2020–24 stretch that ended in September 2024?

Wim Fissette, a Belgian, joined at the start of the 2020 season and coached her to the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open titles.

Naomi Osaka wore which crypto exchange's patch on court before it collapsed in 2022?

FTX's bankruptcy led investors to name her in an $11 billion class-action suit alongside promoters such as Stephen Curry and Gisele Bündchen.

At the 2018 Hopman Cup, Osaka served an ace past which opponent in mixed doubles?

Roger Federer was across the net as Switzerland beat Japan, whose pairing of Osaka and Yūichi Sugita lost all three of their ties.

Osaka was named a 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year alongside which NBA star?

LeBron James, Breanna Stewart, Patrick Mahomes and medic Laurent Duvernay-Tardif shared the honour with her for their activism.

Which Laureus award did Naomi Osaka win in 2021?

Sportswoman of the Year came two years after Osaka won the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year award in 2019.

Naomi Osaka's media company Hana Kuma launched a brand-building program in 2024 with which women's tour?

The LPGA deal set Hana Kuma to help female golfers build their personal brands, two years after Osaka co-founded the company.

Osaka's ranking of No. 4 in October 2018 matched the Japanese record held by Kimiko Date and whom?

Kei Nishikori and Kimiko Date had shared the record, and Osaka passed them both months later when she became world No. 1.

Osaka's first top-ten win came at the 2017 US Open over which defending champion?

Angelique Kerber, ranked No. 6, fell in the first round, but qualifier Kaia Kanepi then ended Osaka's run in the third.

Which magazine published Osaka's op-ed on why she supports Black Lives Matter?

Esquire ran the essay after she had travelled to Minnesota to join the protests over the murder of George Floyd.

Which WTA season award did Naomi Osaka win for 2016?

Newcomer of the Year capped a season in which she reached her first Grand Slam main draw and entered the top 50.

Osaka won the 2019 China Open by beating which world No. 1 in the final?

Ashleigh Barty won the first set before Osaka came back, with her father back as her coach, and she had also ended Bianca Andreescu's winning streak.

Osaka's monogram logo on her Nike collection is inspired by what?

The Japanese flag inspired the monogram built from her initials, part of the Nike line she has worn since switching from Adidas in 2019.

At the Tokyo Olympics, which Czech player beat home favourite Naomi Osaka in the third round?

Markéta Vondroušová won 6–1, 6–4 and went on to take the silver medal.

Before launching her own sports agency in 2022, Naomi Osaka left which management giant after six years?

IMG had represented her since 2016, and she left when her contract ran out at the end of 2021.

Naomi Osaka's family first settled with her father's parents on which island after leaving Japan?

Long Island was home until 2006, and she and her sister Mari first picked up rackets there under their father's coaching.