History of Naomi Osaka in Timeline
Naomi Osaka is a prominent Japanese professional tennis player. She achieved the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles for 25 weeks, making her the first Asian player to reach this milestone. Osaka's accomplishments include winning seven WTA Tour-level singles titles, with four being major titles: two Australian Open and two US Open victories. Notably, she is the first Japanese player to ever win a major singles title.
1933: Securities Act of 1933 Extends to Social Media
In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.
1975: Chris Evert's Performance
In 1975, Chris Evert demonstrated a performance of 260 weeks.
1976: Evonne Goolagong's Performance
In 1976, Evonne Goolagong demonstrated a performance of 2 weeks.
1978: Martina Navratilova's Performance
In 1978, Martina Navratilova demonstrated a performance of 331 weeks.
1980: Tracy Austin's Performance
In 1980, Tracy Austin demonstrated a performance of 22 weeks.
1985: Chris Evert's Performance
In 1985, Chris Evert demonstrated a performance of 260 weeks.
1987: Martina Navratilova's Performance
In 1987, Martina Navratilova demonstrated a performance of 331 weeks.
1991: Monica Seles's Performance
In 1991, Monica Seles demonstrated a performance of 178 weeks.
1994: US Open women's singles final
In 2020 at the US Open, Naomi Osaka became the first player to win a US Open women's singles final by coming from a set down since 1994.
1995: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario's Performance
In 1995, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario demonstrated a performance of 12 weeks.
1995: Last Japanese Player in Pan Pacific Open Final
In 2016, Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese player to reach the Pan Pacific Open final since Kimiko Date did so in 1995.
1996: Monica Seles's Performance
In 1996, Monica Seles demonstrated a performance of 178 weeks.
October 16, 1997: Naomi Osaka's Birth
On October 16, 1997, Naomi Osaka, a Japanese professional tennis player, was born. She has achieved the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles by the WTA, making her the first Asian player to achieve this milestone.
1997: Steffi Graf's Performance
In 1997, Steffi Graf demonstrated a performance of 377 weeks.
1998: Lindsay Davenport's Performance
In 1998, Lindsay Davenport demonstrated a performance of 98 weeks.
1999: Inspiration from the Williams Sisters
In 1999, Naomi Osaka's father, François, was inspired to teach his daughters tennis after watching the Williams sisters compete at the French Open.
2001: Japan last appearance at Hopman Cup
In 2001 was the last time Japan appeared at the Hopman Cup exhibition tournament before Osaka's debut in 2018.
2001: Martina Hingis's Performance
In 2001, Martina Hingis demonstrated a performance of 209 weeks.
2001: Jennifer Capriati's Grand Slam Title
Naomi Osaka was the first player to follow up her first Grand Slam singles title with another at the next such event since Jennifer Capriati in 2001.
2002: Venus Williams' Performance
In 2002, Venus Williams demonstrated a performance of 11 weeks.
2003: Kim Clijsters' Performance
In 2003, Kim Clijsters demonstrated a performance of 20 weeks.
2004: Amélie Mauresmo's Performance
In 2004, Amélie Mauresmo demonstrated a performance of 39 weeks.
2005: Maria Sharapova's Performance
In 2005, Maria Sharapova demonstrated a performance of 21 weeks.
2006: Lindsay Davenport's Performance
In 2006, Lindsay Davenport demonstrated a performance of 98 weeks.
2008: Justine Henin's Performance
In 2008, Justine Henin demonstrated a performance of 117 weeks.
2008: Racket Sponsor: Yonex
Since 2008, Yonex has supplied Naomi Osaka with rackets. She plays with the Yonex Ezone 98 racket, equipped with Polytour Pro 125 and Rexis 130 strings.
2009: Dinara Safina's Performance
In 2009, Dinara Safina demonstrated a performance of 26 weeks.
2010: Caroline Wozniacki's Performance
In 2010, Caroline Wozniacki demonstrated a performance of 71 weeks.
October 2011: First ITF Qualifying Match
In October 2011, on her 14th birthday, Naomi Osaka played her first qualifying match on the ITF Women's Circuit.
2011: Kim Clijsters' Performance
In 2011, Kim Clijsters demonstrated a performance of 20 weeks.
2012: Maria Sharapova's Performance
In 2012, Maria Sharapova demonstrated a performance of 21 weeks.
2012: Semifinal at Amelia Island
In 2012, Naomi Osaka's best result of the season came at a $10k event in Amelia Island, where she lost to her sister in the semifinals.
June 2013: ITF Finals in El Paso, Texas
In June 2013, Naomi Osaka secured a spot in the finals at the $25k ITF event in El Paso, Texas.
September 2013: Osaka Turns Professional
In September 2013, Naomi Osaka officially turned professional, just before her 16th birthday, and entered her first WTA Tour qualifying draws.
2013: Victoria Azarenka's Performance
In 2013, Victoria Azarenka demonstrated a performance of 51 weeks.
2013: First ITF Final
In 2013, coached by Patrick Tauma, Naomi Osaka reached her first ITF final.
March 2014: ITF Finals in Irapuato, Mexico
In March 2014, Naomi Osaka reached another ITF final in Irapuato, Mexico, securing a victory over her sister.
2014: WTA Tour Debut and Upset Victory
In 2014, Naomi Osaka qualified for her first WTA Tour main draw at the Stanford Classic and upset world No. 19 Samantha Stosur in her debut match.
2014: Training at Harold Solomon's Academy
In 2014, Naomi Osaka spent seven months training at an academy run by Harold Solomon, where she defeated Sam Stosur for her first WTA match win.
2015: Serena Williams' Grand Slam Win
Naomi Osaka was the first woman to win consecutive major singles titles since Serena Williams in 2015.
2016: New Coach after US Open Loss
Following her loss at the 2016 US Open, where she could not convert a 5–1 lead in the third set, the Japan Tennis Association helped arrange for David Taylor to be her new coach.
2016: Angelique Kerber's Performance
In 2016, Angelique Kerber demonstrated a performance of 34 weeks.
2016: First WTA Final at Pan Pacific Open
In 2016, Naomi Osaka reached her first career WTA final at the Pan Pacific Open, marking one of the first instances where her strategy of winning long rallies proved successful.
2016: US Open Loss
Naomi Osaka faced Madison Keys in the US Open in 2016 but lost the match.
2016: Representation by IMG
Since 2016, Naomi Osaka has been represented by the IMG management company.
2017: Switched Coaches to Sascha Bajin
After the 2017 season, Naomi Osaka switched coaches to Sascha Bajin, who had previously served as a hitting partner to top players such as Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Caroline Wozniacki.
2017: Fed Cup debut for Japan
In 2017, Naomi Osaka debuted for Japan in the Fed Cup, while the team competed in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I. Japan won all nine of their rubbers to advance out of their round-robin pool.
2017: Serena Williams' Performance
In 2017, Serena Williams demonstrated a performance of 319 weeks.
2018: Caroline Wozniacki's Performance
In 2018, Caroline Wozniacki demonstrated a performance of 71 weeks.
2018: Japan defeats Kazakhstan to advance
In 2018, Japan was able to defeat Kazakhstan in the same group to advance to the 2018 World Group II Play-offs with Osaka absent.
2018: Battling depression
In 2018, Naomi Osaka began experiencing depression, which she has lived with since then.
2018: Breakthrough Season with Improved Mental Approach
In 2018, Naomi Osaka credited improving her mental approach and cutting down on unforced errors for her breakthrough season. She noted a significant improvement in her mental game and consistency at the Wuhan Open.
2018: Hopman Cup debut
In 2018, Naomi Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut with Yūichi Sugita, marking Japan's first appearance at the exhibition tournament since 2001. They lost all three of their ties, with Osaka's only match win coming in singles against Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
2018: US Open Victory
In 2018, Naomi Osaka won the US Open, defeating Serena Williams in the final. The match was controversial due to a dispute between Williams and the umpire.
2018: WTA Coach of the Year
In 2018, Sascha Bajin was named the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year after coaching Naomi Osaka.
2019: Promotion to World Group II
In 2019, Japan earned promotion to World Group II in the Fed Cup after Osaka won her opening match against Heather Watson and the team won the decisive doubles match.
2019: Relationship with Cordae
In 2019, Naomi Osaka began a relationship with American rapper Cordae (then YBN Cordae).
2019: Naomi Osaka's Performance
In 2019, Naomi Osaka demonstrated a performance of 25 weeks.
2019: High Endorsement Earnings
In 2019, Naomi Osaka earned an estimated $16 million in endorsements, placing her second among female athletes behind Serena Williams.
2019: Return to Grass Courts
In 2019, Naomi Osaka returned to grass courts for the first time since 2019 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
2019: Time 100 Most Influential People
In 2019, Naomi Osaka was named to the Time 100 list of most influential people in the world for representing professional tennis well as an excellent role model and a major champion.
2019: Split with Sascha Bajin
Shortly after her 2019 Australian Open title, Naomi Osaka surprisingly split with Sascha Bajin, saying, she "wouldn't put success over [her] happiness." She hired Jermaine Jenkins to be her new coach from March until October and temporarily replaced him with her father in September.
2019: Apparel Sponsor: Nike
Since 2019, Nike has been Naomi Osaka's apparel sponsor, replacing Adidas. Osaka also has a clothing collection with Nike featuring her monogram logo.
December 2020: First edition of manga series featuring Osaka appeared
In December 2020 the first edition of the manga series featuring Naomi Osaka appeared in Nakayoshi magazine.
2020: Loss at the Olympics
At the 2020 Olympics, Naomi Osaka lost in the third round of the competition.
2020: Hired Wim Fissette as Coach
At the start of the 2020 season, Naomi Osaka hired Wim Fissette as her coach.
2020: Highest-Paid Female Athlete
In 2020, Naomi Osaka became the highest-paid female athlete of all time, earning $37.4 million, including $34 million in endorsements. She was also the 29th highest-paid athlete overall.
2020: Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year
In 2020, Naomi Osaka was named a Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for her activism. She was also honored as one of the Time 100 most influential people in the world.
2020: Activism and US Open Masks
In 2020, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Cincinnati Open to raise awareness for the police shooting of Jacob Blake. At the US Open, she wore masks displaying the names of African Americans killed, highlighting Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice.
2020: US Open Title
In 2020, Naomi Osaka won the US Open, securing her second US Open title in three years.
January 2021: Named Brand Ambassador
In January 2021, Naomi Osaka was named the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches and Louis Vuitton. She also appeared in their Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.
February 2021: Featured in Manga Series
In February 2021, Naomi Osaka was featured as the main character in a manga series published by Kodansha in Nakayoshi magazine. The first edition appeared in the February 2021 issue of the magazine.
March 2021: Osaka Speaks Out Against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes
In March 2021, Naomi Osaka spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes.
May 2021: Refusal to attend press conferences at French Open
In May 2021, Naomi Osaka refused to participate in required press conferences during the French Open, resulting in a $15,000 fine and a threat of expulsion from the tournament.
June 2021: Brand Ambassador for Panasonic
In June 2021, Panasonic announced the signing of Naomi Osaka as a brand ambassador. She is a promoter of the "Panasonic Green Impact" initiative alongside Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen.
September 2021: Loss, racket throwing, and indefinite break at US Open
In September 2021, Naomi Osaka lost to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open. During the match, she threw her racket multiple times and received a code violation. Following this, Osaka announced she was taking an indefinite break from tennis and later mentioned she was in therapy.
2021: Contract Expiration with IMG
At the end of 2021, Naomi Osaka's contract with IMG expired, leading to stalled renewal talks and her decision to form her own sports agency, Evolve, in partnership with Stuart Duguid.
2021: Co-ownership of North Carolina Courage
In 2021, Naomi Osaka became a co-owner of the North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League.
2021: Withdrawal from French Open
In 2021, Naomi Osaka withdrew in the Second Round of 2021 French Open.
2021: Australian Open Title
In 2021, Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open, claiming her second Australian Open title and becoming one of three players in the Open Era to win her first four Grand Slam finals.
February 2022: Legal Ruling on Social Media Solicitation
In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.
May 2022: Formation of sports agency Evolve
In May 2022, Naomi Osaka announced she is partnering with her agent, Stuart Duguid, to form her own sports agency, Evolve, after being represented by IMG for six years.
May 2022: Mental health journey
In May 2022, Naomi Osaka stated in an interview that despite ups and downs, she feels very content with her mental health journey.
June 20, 2022: Signing Nick Kyrgios
On June 20, 2022, Naomi Osaka announced that she had signed Nick Kyrgios as her first client for her sports agency, Evolve.
2022: Ashleigh Barty's Performance
In 2022, Ashleigh Barty demonstrated a performance of 121 weeks.
2022: Launch of Hana Kuma
In 2022, Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid launched Hana Kuma, a media and production company in partnership with TheSpringHill Company.
2022: Setup of Sports Management Agency
In 2022, Naomi Osaka left IMG to set up her own sports management agency, Evolve, alongside her agent, Stuart Duguid.
January 2023: Pregnancy Announcement
In January 2023, Naomi Osaka revealed that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae.
July 7, 2023: Birth of Daughter
On July 7, 2023, Naomi Osaka welcomed a healthy baby girl with Cordae.
2023: Aryna Sabalenka's Performance
In 2023, Aryna Sabalenka demonstrated a performance of 9 weeks.
2023: Hana Kuma spin-off
In 2023, Hana Kuma, Naomi Osaka's media and production company, spun-off independently after a $5 million fundraising round.
January 2024: Osaka hoped to return to tennis for Australian Open
In January 2024, Osaka hoped to return to tennis for the Australian Open, after announcing that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae.
September 13, 2024: End of Coaching Relationship with Wim Fissette
On September 13, 2024, Naomi Osaka announced the end of her coaching relationship with Wim Fissette.
September 2024: Patrick Mouratoglou added as coach
In September 2024 Naomi Osaka added Patrick Mouratoglou as her coach.
2024: Defeated by Emma Navarro
At the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, Naomi Osaka got through to the second round before losing to Emma Navarro.
2024: Hana Kuma partnership with LPGA
In 2024, Hana Kuma announced a partnership with the LPGA to create a brand building programme for female golfers.
2024: Iga Świątek's Performance
In 2024, Iga Świątek demonstrated a performance of 125 weeks.
January 6, 2025: Ended relationship with Cordae
On January 6, 2025, Naomi Osaka announced that she and Cordae were no longer in a relationship.
2025: Osaka retires at Auckland Open final
In 2025, Osaka started her season at the Auckland Open, where she reached the final but retired due to an abdominal injury.
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