Five Things About Naomi Osaka, The Richest Sportswomen in The World!

Ever since Naomi Osaka zoomed to the number one position in the Women’s Tennis Association, her star value and net worth have risen like no tomorrow. The U.S. Open champion and a racial justice activist was born in Japan, the most famous and one of the most marketable athletes in the world. There are still lots of things that we don’t know about her. Here are a few things that you should know about.

She Was a Teenage Sports Star Before Becoming a Grand Slam Star

The world came to know about Naomi Osaka after defeating the former world number 1, Serena Williams, at the 2018 U.S. Open final, but she has been successful since. The world took notice of her standout performance in the Bank of the West Classic in 2014. The teenage Osaka earned a spot in the qualifying tournament and advanced to the first WTA main draw. She secured her first tour-level win after beating the 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur in the first round.

A World Number 1 in the 2019 Grand Slam

At the 2019 Australian Open, Osaka was one of the only 11 players who managed to make it to the finals. She earned her next Grand-Slam title after beating Petra Kvitová. Not only did she become the world’s new No. 1, but she was the first woman to win consecutive Grand Slam singles since Serena Williams had achieved the first incredible feat in  2015. She was also the first Asian player to be ranked No. 1 in the tennis singles category.

Her Ever-Expanding Portfolio

Osaka boasts incredible skills on and off the tennis court as she expands her portfolio by taking part in numerous business ventures, including many investments and endorsement deals, including several top-notch endorsement deals such as Nissan Motor and Shiseido MUSIK, and more. With her net worth of $60 million, she is also the highest-paid athlete globally. She has been careful to venture into several business ventures to build up a brand name to reckon with.

Her Sister is in a Similar Profession

Naomi isn’t the only professional tennis player in her family. Her older sister Mari Osaka has slowly but surely made her place in the Women’s Tennis Association. It is why the world is drawing comparisons with the Williams sisters. They have been defining their paths as professional individuals. Although the two aren’t playing high octane matches against each other yet. They were recently making charity face masks together.

She Considers Serena Williams Is Her Idol

Many people tried to pit Osaka and Serena Williams against each other while playing in the 2018 matchup in the U.S. Open. Osaka was overjoyed to play opposite her childhood idol. Long before she had declared in one of her interviews that she wanted to be like her, she almost proved to be a seasoned clairvoyant since then. The spectators resorted to booing in her first match (because of how the match was progressing). But Williams comforted her like a true senior.

No wonder Osama was so inspired by the Williams sister. Even Osaka’s father, Leonard Maxime Francois, was inspired by the training styles of Venuse’s and Serena’s father, Richard Williams.

Off the Court, She’s a Gamer

Osaka loves video gaming when she is not slogging off on the tennis court. She has been saying that she spends an average of four hours training at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, FL, and she would next spend another four to five hours playing Overwatch, teaming up with her sister Mari. As per an Instagram story, her favorite game is Skyrim.

She Has Her Very Own Barbie Doll

Osaka has been part of Barbie’s Sheroes initiative. She has teamed up with popular gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Olympian saber fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, and model Ashley Graham. She is thrilled to get the honor as she had played with Barbies when she was a kid, and she thinks that the entire experience is surreal that she would now have a Barbie looking like her.

Osaka is certainly a unique talent. The world is certainly watching with bated breath to see what incredible feat she achieves next! Her fame and net worth will only increase in the years to come.