History of Naomi Osaka in Timeline

Naomi Osaka is a highly accomplished Japanese professional tennis player. She achieved the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles, making her the first Asian player to reach this milestone. Osaka has secured seven WTA Tour-level singles titles, highlighted by her four major victories: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. Notably, she is the first Japanese player to ever win a major singles title, solidifying her place in tennis history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1933: Securities Act of 1933

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.

1994: US Open Women's Singles Final

In 2020, at the US Open, Osaka became the first player to win the US Open women's singles final by coming from a set down since 1994.

1995: Kimiko Date's Pan Pacific Open Final

In 1995, Kimiko Date contested the final at the Pan Pacific Open; this was mentioned in the context of Naomi Osaka becoming the first Japanese player to contest the final at the event since Date.

October 16, 1997: Naomi Osaka's Birth

On October 16, 1997, Naomi Osaka was born in Japan. She is a professional tennis player who has achieved the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Inspiration from the Williams Sisters

In 1999, Naomi Osaka's father was inspired to teach his daughters how to play tennis after watching the Williams sisters compete at the French Open.

2001: Japan's First Appearance Since 2001

In 2018, Naomi Osaka participated in the Hopman Cup, marking Japan's first appearance at the exhibition tournament since 2001.

2001: Williams Sisters' Boycott

In March, Osaka referenced heckling at the Indian Wells Open in 2001 that led to the Williams sisters boycotting the tournament for 13 years, comparing it to her own treatment at the 2022 tournament.

2001: Jennifer Capriati's Grand Slam Win

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 did so in 2001.

2006: Move to Florida for Tennis Training

In 2006, when Naomi Osaka was eight or nine years old, her family moved to Florida to provide better opportunities for her and her sister to train in tennis.

2008: Racket Sponsor: Yonex

Since 2008, the Japanese sporting equipment manufacturer Yonex has supplied rackets to Naomi Osaka. She plays with the Yonex Ezone 98 racket, equipped with Polytour Pro 125 and Rexis 130 strings.

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.

2012: Semifinal at $10k Amelia Island

In 2012, Naomi Osaka achieved her best result of the season by reaching the semifinals at a $10k event in Amelia Island, where she lost to her sister.

June 2013: First $25k Level Final

In June 2013, Naomi Osaka reached one of her first two finals at the $25K level ITF event in El Paso, Texas.

September 2013: Turned Professional

In September 2013, Naomi Osaka turned professional shortly before her 16th birthday and entered her first WTA Tour qualifying draws.

2013: First ITF Final

In 2013, Naomi Osaka reached her first ITF final while being coached by Patrick Tauma.

March 2014: Second $25k Level Final, Victory Over Mari Osaka

In March 2014, Naomi Osaka reached another final at a $25k level ITF event in Irapuato, Mexico, which included a victory over her sister Mari Osaka.

2014: Training at Harold Solomon Tennis Academy

In 2014, Naomi Osaka moved to the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy to further her training.

2014: Training with Harold Solomon

In 2014, Naomi Osaka spent seven months training at an academy run by Harold Solomon, a former top five player and French Open finalist. Under Solomon, she defeated Sam Stosur for her first WTA match win.

2014: WTA Tour Debut and Victory

In 2014, at the age of 16, Naomi Osaka made her WTA Tour debut and defeated former US Open champion Samantha Stosur at the Stanford Classic.

2014: First WTA Main Draw and Upset Victory

In the summer of 2014, Naomi Osaka qualified for her first WTA Tour main draw at the Stanford Classic and upset world No. 19, Samantha Stosur, in her tour-level debut.

2015: First Tournament Below Tour-Level Since 2015

In 2015, Naomi Osaka had not participated in a tournament below the Tour-level since 2015, until she entered the WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament.

2015: Rising in Rankings and WTA Finals Exhibition Win

In 2015, despite not winning another WTA Tour main-draw singles match, Naomi Osaka continued to climb the rankings, reaching two high-level finals. She won the Rising Stars Invitational at the WTA Finals, defeating Caroline Garcia. She finished the year ranked No. 144.

2015: Consecutive Major Titles

Naomi Osaka's Australian Open win in 2019 made her the first woman to win consecutive major singles titles since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 2015.

2016: Loss at US Open

At the 2016 US Open, Naomi Osaka had a tough loss, referenced in the context of avenging it in 2018.

2016: First WTA Final

In 2016, Naomi Osaka reached her first WTA final at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, which resulted in her entering the top 50 of the WTA rankings.

2016: Coaching Change

In 2016, after a loss at the US Open where she could not convert a 5–1 lead, the Japan Tennis Association helped arrange for David Taylor to be Naomi Osaka's new coach.

2016: Representation by IMG

Since 2016, Naomi Osaka has been represented by the IMG management company.

2017: Switch 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.

2017: Fed Cup Debut for Japan

In 2017, Naomi Osaka made her Fed Cup debut for Japan in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I competition. Japan won all nine of their rubbers in the round-robin pool, but despite Osaka's singles win in the play-off against Kazakhstan, the team did not advance.

2017: Steady Ranking

In 2017, Naomi Osaka maintained a steady ranking, without setting a new career high. Her year-end ranking was No. 68.

2018: Improved Mental Approach

In 2018, Naomi Osaka credited improving her mental approach and reducing unforced errors for her breakthrough season. She noted that her game was more consistent and attributed these changes to her coach, Sascha Bajin.

2018: Hopman Cup Debut

In 2018, Naomi Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut with Yūichi Sugita. Japan lost all three ties against Switzerland, the United States, and Russia. Osaka's only match win was in singles against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. She also served an ace past Roger Federer in the mixed doubles match against Switzerland.

2018: First Tour Title and US Open Win

In 2018, Naomi Osaka won her first Tour title at the Indian Wells Open. Later in the year, she defeated Serena Williams in the final of the US Open to win her first major title.

2018: US Open Victory

In 2018, Naomi Osaka won her first major title at the US Open, defeating Serena Williams in the final, becoming the first Japanese woman to win a Grand Slam singles championship. The match was controversial due to a dispute between Williams and the umpire.

2018: Bajin Named WTA Coach of the Year

In 2018, Sascha Bajin was named the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year, after coaching Naomi Osaka.

2018: Fed Cup: Japan Defeats Kazakhstan

In 2018, with Osaka absent, Japan defeated Kazakhstan in the Fed Cup to advance to the 2018 World Group II Play-offs.

2018: Battling Depression

Since 2018, Naomi Osaka has been living with depression, which started after the US Open.

January 2019: Achieved WTA No. 1 ranking

In January 2019, Naomi Osaka was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the WTA, becoming the first Asian player to achieve this top ranking.

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 Kurumi Nara defeated Watson to set up a decisive doubles match which Japan won.

2019: Began Relationship with Cordae

In 2019, Naomi Osaka began a relationship with American rapper Cordae, who was then known as YBN Cordae.

2019: Endorsement Earnings

In 2019, Naomi Osaka earned an estimated $16 million in endorsements alone, 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 at 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. She won her first-round match against Elise Mertens, but was defeated by Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals. She reached the second round at Wimbledon before losing to Emma Navarro.

2019: Included in Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2019, Naomi Osaka was included on Time Magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2019: Time 100 Most Influential People

In 2019, Naomi Osaka was named to the Time 100 list for representing professional tennis well as an excellent role model and a major champion.

2019: Apparel Sponsor: Nike

In 2019, Nike became Naomi Osaka's apparel sponsor, replacing Adidas, and launched a clothing collection featuring her monogram logo.

2019: Australian Open Win and World No. 1 Ranking

In early 2019, Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open and reached the world No. 1 ranking for the first time.

2019: Split with Sascha Bajin

Shortly after her 2019 Australian Open title, Naomi Osaka split with her coach Sascha Bajin and hired Jermaine Jenkins.

December 2020: Manga First Edition Release

In December 2020, the first edition of a manga series featuring Naomi Osaka was released in the February 2021 issue of Nakayoshi magazine.

2020: Olympics Loss

At the 2020 Olympics, Naomi Osaka lost in the third round.

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 in total, including $34 million in endorsements, and was the 29th highest-paid athlete overall.

2020: Limited Play and US Open Victory

In 2020, Naomi Osaka played only four tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She won the US Open, becoming the first player to win the women's singles final by coming from a set down since 1994, securing her second US Open title in three years. She skipped the French Open due to a hamstring injury.

2020: Highest-Earning Female Athlete and Activism

In 2020, Naomi Osaka ranked eighth among all athletes in endorsement income and had the highest annual income of any female athlete. She was also recognized as an activist, supporting the Black Lives Matter protests. She was named one of Sports Illustrated's Sportspersons of the Year and included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people.

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 for her activism.

2020: Activism and Protests

In 2020, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Cincinnati Open to raise awareness for the police shooting of Jacob Blake, leading to the postponement of ATP and WTA matches. At the US Open, she wore masks displaying the names of African Americans killed, and traveled to Minnesota to protest the murder of George Floyd.

January 2021: Brand Ambassador Roles

In January 2021, Naomi Osaka was named the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches and Louis Vuitton, appearing in their Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.

February 2021: Manga Series Published

In February 2021, Naomi Osaka was featured as the main character in a manga series published by Kodansha in Nakayoshi 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: French Open Press Conference Refusal and Withdrawal

In May 2021, Naomi Osaka refused to participate in required press conferences during the French Open, leading to a $15,000 fine and threat of expulsion. On May 31, she withdrew from the event to focus on her mental health.

June 2021: Panasonic Brand Ambassador

In June 2021, Panasonic announced Naomi Osaka as a brand ambassador. She promotes the "Panasonic Green Impact" initiative alongside Michael Phelps and Nathan Chen, participating in an ad campaign for climate change.

September 2021: US Open Loss and Indefinite Break

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. Subsequently, Osaka announced she was taking an indefinite break from the sport and later started therapy.

2021: Contract with IMG Expires

At the end of 2021, Naomi Osaka's contract with IMG expired after six years of representation.

2021: First Title Since the 2021 Australian Open

In 2021, Naomi Osaka achieved her first title since the 2021 Australian Open at the WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament, where she defeated Kaja Juvan in the final, marking her first career tournament victory on clay.

2021: Co-Owner 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: Mental Health Struggles and Tournament Withdrawals

In 2021, Naomi Osaka faced mental health struggles, leading to her retirement from the French Open and withdrawal from Wimbledon, causing public scrutiny.

2021: Tokyo Olympics

In 2021, Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics. Ranked 2nd in the world, she lost in the 3rd round to Markéta Vondroušová.

2021: Miami Open Final

In 2021, Naomi Osaka reached the Miami Open final, her first final since the 2021 Australian Open. As the 77th-ranked player, she was the lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament's history. However, she lost in straight sets to Iga Świątek.

2021: Laureus Award and Olympic Cauldron Lighting

In 2021, Naomi Osaka was the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), she became the first tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony.

2021: Withdrawal from French Open

In 2021, Naomi Osaka withdrew before the 2nd round at the French Open.

2021: Drop in WTA Rankings

Naomi Osaka dropped 71 spots in the WTA rankings to No. 85 following the tournament absences in 2021.

February 2022: U.S. Court 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

In May 2022, Naomi Osaka announced that she and her agent, Stuart Duguid, would form their own sports agency called Evolve, with both holding equity stakes.

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. She also returned to therapy after being heckled at the Indian Wells Open and found it helpful.

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.

September 2022: Return to Professional Tennis

In September 2022, Naomi Osaka returned to professional tennis as a wildcard at the Brisbane International, marking her first match since September 2022. She defeated Tamara Korpatsch in the first round but lost to Karolína Plíšková in the second round.

2022: Launch of Hana Kuma

In 2022, Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid launched Hana Kuma, a media and production company, initially in partnership with TheSpringHill Company.

2022: Furthest Advancement in a Major

In 2022, Naomi Osaka competed at the Australian Open, and it was the furthest she had advanced in a major tournament since then.

2022: Evolve Sports Management Agency

In 2022, Naomi Osaka left IMG to set up her own sports management agency, Evolve, with her agent, Stuart Duguid.

January 2023: Pregnancy Announcement

In January 2023, Naomi Osaka revealed that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae, shortly after withdrawing from the Australian Open.

July 7, 2023: Birth of Daughter

On July 7, 2023, Naomi Osaka welcomed a healthy baby girl.

2023: Hana Kuma Spins Off

In 2023, Hana Kuma, the media company launched by Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid, spun off independently after a $5 million fundraising round.

2023: Investor in Pickleball Team

In 2023, Naomi Osaka became an investor in a professional pickleball team based in Miami, Florida.

2023: Maternity Leave

In 2023, Naomi Osaka took maternity leave from professional tennis.

January 2024: Hopes to Return to Tennis

In January 2024, Naomi Osaka stated her hope to return to tennis for the 2024 Australian Open.

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: Added Patrick Mouratoglou as Coach

In September 2024, Naomi Osaka added Patrick Mouratoglou as her coach.

2024: Partnership with LPGA

In 2024, Hana Kuma announced a partnership with the LPGA to create a brand building program for female golfers.

2024: Paris Olympics

In 2024, Naomi Osaka lost to Angelique Kerber in the first round of the Paris Olympics, which was Kerber's final tournament.

2024: Withdrawal from Australian Open and Return Announcement

In 2024, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open due to expecting her first child with rapper Cordae. She announced her return to tennis at the 2024 Brisbane International.

2024: Return to Competition

Naomi Osaka returned to professional tennis competition in 2024, following her maternity leave in 2023.

January 6, 2025: Relationship Ends

On January 6, 2025, Naomi Osaka announced that she and Cordae were no longer in a relationship, stating that there was "no bad blood" between them.

2025: Auckland Open Final and Australian Open Performance

In 2025, Naomi Osaka started her season at the Auckland Open, reaching her first final since 2022, but retired due to an abdominal injury. At the Australian Open in 2025, she defeated Caroline Garcia and Karolína Muchová before retiring against Belinda Bencic in the third round, marking her furthest advancement in a major since the 2022 Australian Open.