Naomi Osaka | Biography, WTA, & Black Lives Matter

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</div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction & Top Questions </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Naomi-Osaka/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Naomi-Osaka">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Naomi-Osaka/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/231864-050-1685F62D/Naomi-Osaka-backhand-Womens-Singles-Quarterfinals-Australian-Open-2021.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263367" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/64/231864-004-DB2A0C50/Naomi-Osaka-backhand-Womens-Singles-Quarterfinals-Australian-Open-2021.jpg" alt="Naomi Osaka" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-050-BA6F8B8B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263368" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-004-297FF648/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg" alt="Naomi Osaka" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-050-CC844EAF/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/250393" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-004-F799B589/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg" alt="Naomi Osaka" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-050-720FE07B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263369" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-004-DE4FCCAC/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg" alt="Naomi Osaka" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234474-131-7CBD1A96/Serena-Williams-womens-single-trophy-Australian-Open-Januray-28-2017.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz" >Great Moments in Sports Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/sports-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/148847-131-607DD61C/Cricket-bat-ball.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/sports-quiz" >Sports Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/i-am-the-greatest-athlete"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/55/235355-131-5EA8CFD4/Usain-Bolt-Jamaica-gold-medal-breaking-world-record-200m-Beijing-Summer-Olympics-August-20-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after breaking the world record with a time of 19.30 to win the gold medal as Churandy Martina (left) of Netherlands Antilles and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe come in after him in the Men's 200m Final at the National Stadium during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Summer Olympics, track and field, athletics)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/i-am-the-greatest-athlete" >I Am the Greatest (Athlete)</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/american-sports-nicknames"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/139052-131-7A7975D1/Balls-shapes-colors-sizes-sports.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/american-sports-nicknames" >American Sports Nicknames</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Who-is-Naomi-Osaka">Who is Naomi Osaka?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/How-is-tennis-played">How is tennis played?</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-131-E72371AE/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Naomi Osaka, of Japan, fires a ball into the stands after defeating Shelby Rogers, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the US Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in New York." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka" >4 Questions for Tennis Star Naomi Osaka</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/how-is-tennis-scored"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/84/239184-131-00592F62/scoreboard-Wimbledon-Championships.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Changing the points on the scoreboard at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, 2009. 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Emperor Shah Jahan fifth Mughal Emperor (reigned 1628-1658) India, Himachal Pradesh, Basohli or Jammu and Kashmir, Mankot, circa 1690 Drawings; Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper (see notes)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/6-important-mughal-emperors" >6 Important Mughal Emperors</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/189145-131-45FF672E/Secret-Service-Agent-Earpiece.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents" >Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/did-george-washington-really-say-i-cant-tell-a-lie"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/82/110382-050-E95BCB99/Grant-Woods-Parsons-Weems-Fable.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Parsons Weems' Fable, oil on canvas by Grant Wood, 1939; in the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-19T00:00:00CST" >Feb 19, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Naomi-Osaka/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>October 16, 1997, Ōsaka, <a href="/place/Japan">Japan</a> (age 27)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Awards And Honors: </dt> <dd><a href="/sports/Grand-Slam-tennis">Grand Slam</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Australian-Open">Australian Open (2021)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/US-Open-tennis">U.S. Open (2020)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Australian-Open">Australian Open (2019)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/US-Open-tennis">U.S. Open (2018)</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Naomi-Osaka"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Who is Naomi Osaka?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Naomi Osaka is a Japanese tennis player and social justice advocate who, in 2019, became the first Asian player to reach the top of the Women\u2019s Tennis Association world rankings. She is also the first tennis player from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles title. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/story\/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka\">Read Britannica\u2019s interview with Naomi Osaka to learn more about her.<\/a>" } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Where did Naomi Osaka grow up?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Naomi Osaka was born in \u014Csaka, Japan, in 1997 and raised in Japan until the age of three, when she moved to the United States. She lived in Long Island, New York, until she moved to Florida in 2006. " } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Where are Naomi Osaka\u2019s parents from?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Naomi Osaka\u2019s father, Leonard Francois, is from Haiti, and her mother, Tamaki Osaka, is from Japan. " } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Who is Naomi Osaka?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Naomi Osaka is a Japanese tennis player and social justice advocate who, in 2019, became the first Asian player to reach the top of the Women’s Tennis Association world rankings. She is also the first tennis player from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles title. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/story/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Read Britannica’s interview with Naomi Osaka to learn more about her.</a></p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Where did Naomi Osaka grow up?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Naomi Osaka was born in Ōsaka, Japan, in 1997 and raised in Japan until the age of three, when she moved to the United States. She lived in Long Island, New York, until she moved to Florida in 2006. </p></div></div> </div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"> <h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Where are Naomi Osaka’s parents from?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3> <div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Naomi Osaka’s father, Leonard Francois, is from Haiti, and her mother, Tamaki Osaka, is from Japan. </p></div></div> </div></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/tennis/keys-osaka-to-play-at-queens-club-championships" rel="nofollow">Keys, Osaka to play at Queen's Club Championships</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 18, 2025, 2:53 PM ET (Straits Times) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1302256"></span>Naomi Osaka</strong> (born October 16, 1997, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Osaka-Japan" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Ōsaka</a>, Japan) is a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tennis</a> player and activist who, with her victory at the 2018 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. Open</a>, became the first player from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Japan</a> to win a Grand Slam singles title. The following year she became the first Asian player to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="ascend" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/ascend" data-type="EB">ascend</a> to the top of the <span id="ref1308803"></span>Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings. In addition, Osaka is known as an advocate for <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-justice" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">social justice</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em><a href="https://www.britannica.com/story/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">(Read Britannica’s interview with Naomi Osaka.)</a></em></p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Osaka was born to a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Haiti" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Haitian</a> father and a Japanese mother. She was raised in Japan until the age of three, when her family relocated to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Long-Island-New-York" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Long Island</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New York</a>. There her father encouraged her to take up tennis. After the family moved to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Florida" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Florida</a> in 2006, Osaka practiced tennis during the day and was <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/homeschooling" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">homeschooled</a> at night. She bypassed junior competition to turn professional in 2013, and she soon received support from the Japanese tennis federation. Over the next few years she emerged as one of the sport’s most promising young players. In 2016 she advanced to the round of 32 at three Grand Slam tournaments—the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Australian-Open" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Australian Open</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/French-Open" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">French Open</a>, and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. Open</a>. At the last of those tournaments her <span id="ref1308804"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/serve" class="md-crosslink ">serve</a> was clocked at 125 miles (201 km) per hour, one of the fastest serves ever recorded in the women’s game. Osaka was named the 2016 Newcomer of the Year by the WTA.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234474-131-7CBD1A96/Serena-Williams-womens-single-trophy-Australian-Open-Januray-28-2017.jpg" alt="Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Great Moments in Sports Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">(Read Chris Evert’s Britannica entry on the U.S. Open.) </a></em></p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In March 2018 Osaka captured her first WTA Tour title, winning the BNP Paribas Open in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indio" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Indian Wells</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/California-state" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">California</a>. Some six months later she faced <span id="ref1308805"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Serena-Williams" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Serena Williams</a>—one of her childhood idols—in the championship match of the U.S. Open and bested her in straight sets. Osaka <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="triumphed" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/triumphed" data-type="EB">triumphed</a> again at the 2019 Australian Open, where she notched a three-set victory over <span id="ref1302257"></span>Petra Kvitova of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Czech-Republic" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Czech Republic</a> in the finals. With that win Osaka became the first woman to claim consecutive Grand Slam singles titles since Williams accomplished the feat in 2015. On January 28, 2019, Osaka officially assumed the number one world ranking. She held the top spot for 21 weeks, until overtaken by Australian <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ashleigh-Barty" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ashleigh Barty</a> in June. Later in the year Osaka again sat atop the world rankings, for two weeks beginning in mid-August.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="263368" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-050-BA6F8B8B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263368"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-050-BA6F8B8B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-050-BA6F8B8B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg?w=300" alt="Naomi Osaka" data-width="1600" data-height="900" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">1 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/219706-050-BA6F8B8B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-8-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263368">Naomi Osaka</a><span>Tennis star Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open, 2020; her face mask names George Floyd, an African American man who was killed while in police custody.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="250393" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-050-CC844EAF/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2189611/250393"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-050-CC844EAF/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-050-CC844EAF/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg?w=300" alt="Naomi Osaka" data-width="1600" data-height="1060" loading="eager"></picture><div class="position-absolute top-10 left-10 assembly-slide-tag rounded-lg">2 of 2</div><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/219705-050-CC844EAF/Naomi-Osaka-Australian-Open-January-24-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/250393">Naomi Osaka</a><span>Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open, 2020.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Osaka’s outspokenness on issues of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-justice" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">social justice</a> also attracted widespread attention. In August 2020 she temporarily withdrew from the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament in New York as a means of showing solidarity with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Black Lives Matter</a> protests that were occurring in cities across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> that summer. At the U.S. Open the following month, during the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/COVID-19" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">COVID-19</a> pandemic, she wore a series of face masks featuring the names of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/African-American" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">African Americans</a> who had died at the hands of police or in <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="alleged" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alleged" data-type="MW">alleged</a> racially motivated attacks carried out by others. She stated that the face masks were part of her effort “to make people start talking.” Osaka triumphed at the tournament, winning the U.S. Open title for a second time. In recognition of her tennis success and activism, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Associated-Press" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Associated Press</a> selected Osaka as the Female Athlete of the Year for 2020.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="263369" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-050-720FE07B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263369"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-050-720FE07B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-050-720FE07B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg?w=300" alt="Naomi Osaka" data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/219708-050-720FE07B/Naomi-Osaka-US-Open-September-13-2020.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2189611/263369">Naomi Osaka</a><span>Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka after winning the U.S. Open, 2020.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Osaka added to her collection of Grand Slam trophies in February 2021 when she secured a second Australian Open title. She was the 16th woman of the open era (since 1968) to have won four Grand Slam singles championships. The following May, citing <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/mental-hygiene" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">mental health</a> concerns, she withdrew from the French Open after having been fined by the organizers for skipping press conferences during the tournament. She later revealed that she had suffered bouts of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/depression-psychology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">depression</a> since 2018 and that she planned to take a break from competition. Osaka opted not to play at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Wimbledon-Championships" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wimbledon</a> in 2021, but later that year she competed at the U.S. Open, where she was upset in the third round. She subsequently went on a four-month <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="hiatus" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hiatus" data-type="MW">hiatus</a>, returning to competition in early 2022. At that year’s Australian Open, Osaka experienced another loss in the third round, and she lost in the first round of that year’s U.S. Open.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On several occasions Osaka represented Japan in international competitions. She played on the Japanese <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Billie-Jean-King-Cup" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Fed Cup</a> team in 2017, 2018, and 2020. In October 2019 Osaka, who held dual citizenship with Japan and the United States, announced that she would relinquish her U.S. citizenship and compete for Japan in the <span id="ref1308802"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokyo-2020-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo</a>. Postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games opened in July 2021, and Osaka was given the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron. She competed in the Olympic tennis tournament but lost in the third round.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In January 2023 Osaka announced that she was pregnant and would not compete that year. Her daughter was born in July 2023. In January 2024 Osaka returned to tennis, and that month she competed at the Australian Open. However, she lost in the first round. She was more competitive in the French Open, where she lost a close second-round match to number-one ranked <span id="ref1327996"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Iga-Swiatek" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Iga Świątek</a>. Osaka then competed at Wimbledon, where she lost in the second round. She had another disappointing result later in July, at the 2024 Paris <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Olympic Games</a>, where she lost in the first round. Nevertheless, the four-time Grand Slam champion was determined to regain her form, saying after the match, “I guess I need to learn how to win again.”</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature font-12">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/will-gosner/9852049">Will Gosner</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":2189611,"pageLength":881,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"BIO_MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Naomi Osaka | Biography, WTA, & Black Lives Matter | Britannica