Naomi Osaka: The Powerhouse On and Off the Court

When the pandemic hit, activities that required close-to-close human contact suddenly became a liability. People scrambled to find new hobbies that satisfied their craving for social interaction without sacrificing the required 6 ft. barrier. 

Enter the perfect socially distanced sport: tennis. After all, there’s nothing like spending an afternoon chatting with your best friend while smacking balls across the court 🙂

In fact, it just so happens that this sport also houses some of the most powerful, inspiring Asian female role models in the industry. How can you even bring up tennis without inevitably mentioning the powerhouse known as Naomi Osaka? 

At only 23 years old, Osaka has certainly made a name for herself both on and off the court. She currently has four Grand Slam titles under belt and stands as the reigning champion in both the US Open as well as the Australian Open. It probably doesn’t shock anyone to know that Osaka has never lost a major final. In fact, according to Forbes, Osaka was also recently named the highest paid female athlete in the world. In short, she is the perfect example of what every asian parent thinks will happen when they send their kid to tennis camp 🙂

Outside of the tennis world, Osaka continues to make waves. She was recently named a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton, marking the first time the design house has looked to a professional athlete to serve in an ambassador role. Glamour UK’s Sports also dubbed Osaka as their Gamechanger of the Year and featured her as their covergirl for the March issue of the magazine. And in perhaps what is the most interesting accomplishment to date, Osaka announced in January that she is publishing her own manga series! Just looking at the neon bubblegum pink hair on the main character, I know Osaka’s vibrant character will undoubtedly explode off the page and take readers by storm. 

While we can sit here and probably regale numerous stories about Naomi Osaka’s amazing achievements, these aren’t actually what makes Osaka such a prominent role model for me. In fact, it’s her humble stature, her quiet confidence and her steadfast character that have always served as an inspiration to me. Osaka isn’t afraid to be outspoken about social justice issues, particularly ones that hit close to home here in America. 

During the 2020 US Open, she sported customized black face masks etched with the names of individuals killed because they were Black: an open condemnation of police brutality and a powerful statement that Black lives mattered. In August, she joined other athletes across the world in cancelling her semifinal match at the Western & Southern Open after Jacob Blake was shot 7 times in the back by a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer. In a personal statement, Osaka announced: “Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority-white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.” 

And continue the conversation she has. This past February, Osaka took to Twitter to express her disgust at the “hate, racism, and blame” for the Covid-19 pandemic towards Asians all around the world and condemned the pathetic stereotypes that plagued her comment sections. She isn’t afraid to voice her opinions off of social media either; Osaka called out then-Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organizing committee president Yoshiro Mori’s ignorant and sexist comments about women board members talking for too long in meetings. She has never been afraid to say what is on her mind, and the world has quickly realized that Naomi Osaka’s voice is a force to be reckoned with.

This Women’s History Month, we are highlighting powerful Asian women in every industry. It is no question that Naomi Osaka has shown us an inspiring portrait of what it means to be an athlete, but more importantly a female athlete who is Asian and Black. She has blazed a trail for numerous individuals out there, creating an unapologetic and fierce portrayal of womanhood that will undoubtedly inspire the younger generation of changemakers.