History of Naomi Osaka in Timeline
Naomi Osaka is a highly accomplished Japanese professional tennis player, achieving the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles for 25 weeks starting in January 2019, a first for an Asian player. She has secured seven career singles titles, including four Grand Slam victories: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. Notably, she holds the distinction of being the first Japanese player to win a major singles title, solidifying her place as a significant figure in the sport.
1933: U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling
In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.
1994: Last US Open Women's singles final won by coming from a set down
In 1994, before Naomi Osaka's win in 2020, it was the last time that a US Open Women's singles final was won by coming from a set down.
1995: Kimiko Date contests Pan Pacific Open final
In 1995, Kimiko Date contested the final at the Pan Pacific Open, making Osaka the first Japanese player to contest the final at the event since then.
October 16, 1997: Naomi Osaka's birth
On October 16, 1997, Naomi Osaka was born, later becoming a Japanese professional tennis player.
1999: Inspired by the Williams sisters
In 1999, Naomi Osaka's father was inspired to teach his daughters how to play tennis by watching the Williams sisters compete at the French Open.
2001: Jennifer Capriati followed up her first Grand Slam singles title
In 2001, Jennifer Capriati followed up her first Grand Slam singles title
2001: Japan's first appearance at the Hopman Cup since 2001
Naomi Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut in 2018. 2018 was the first appearance at the exhibition tournament for Japan since 2001.
2006: Moved to Florida for better training opportunities
In 2006, when Naomi Osaka was about eight years old, her family moved to Florida to provide her and her sister with better tennis training opportunities.
2008: Yonex Racket Sponsorship
Since 2008, Yonex has supplied Naomi Osaka with rackets. She plays with the Yonex Ezone 98 racket.
October 2011: Played first qualifying match on ITF Women's Circuit
In October 2011, on her 14th birthday, Naomi Osaka played her first qualifying match on the ITF Women's Circuit.
2012: Reached semifinals at Amelia Island 10k event
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: Reached final at 25k event in El Paso
In June 2013, Naomi Osaka reached a final at the 25k level event in El Paso, Texas.
September 2013: Turned professional
In September 2013, shortly before turning 16 years old, Naomi Osaka turned professional and entered her first WTA Tour qualifying draws.
2013: First ITF Final
In 2013, Naomi Osaka reached her first ITF final under the coaching of Patrick Tauma, one of her early coaches after she began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit.
March 2014: Reached final at 25k event in Irapuato, Mexico
In March 2014, Naomi Osaka reached the final at a 25k event in Irapuato, Mexico, where she also achieved a victory over her sister.
2014: Defeated Samantha Stosur at Stanford Classic
In 2014, Naomi Osaka gained prominence at age 16 by defeating former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in her WTA Tour debut at the Stanford Classic.
2014: Qualified for first WTA Tour main draw at Stanford Classic
In 2014, Naomi Osaka qualified for her first WTA Tour main draw at the Stanford Classic and upset world No. 19, Samantha Stosur.
2014: Training with Harold Solomon
In 2014, Naomi Osaka spent seven months training at an academy run by Harold Solomon. Under Solomon, Osaka defeated Sam Stosur for her first WTA match win.
2014: Moved to Harold Solomon Tennis Academy
In 2014, at the age of 15, Naomi Osaka moved to the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy to further her tennis training.
2015: First appearance in a tournament below Tour-level since 2015
After an early loss in Madrid, Naomi Osaka entered the minor-league Challenger Tour WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament in 2015, her first appearance in a tournament below Tour-level since 2015.
2015: Reached two high-level finals
In 2015, Naomi Osaka reached two high-level finals: the 75k Kangaroo Cup in Japan and the 50k Surbiton Trophy in England. She also won the Rising Stars Invitational at the WTA Finals.
2015: Serena Williams won consecutive major singles titles
In 2015, Serena Williams won consecutive major singles titles, being the last woman to do so until Osaka in 2019
2016: Coaching Change
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: Avenged loss to advance to US Open final
In 2016, Naomi Osaka avenged her tough loss from the 2016 US Open, to advance to the final.
2016: First Career WTA Final
In 2016, Naomi Osaka made her first career WTA final at the Pan Pacific Open, marking one of the first notable instances where her strategy of winning long rallies proved successful.
2016: IMG Representation
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. With Bajin, Osaka won her first Premier Mandatory title and two Grand Slam singles titles.
2017: Fed Cup Debut
In 2017, Naomi Osaka made her Fed Cup debut for Japan in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I. Japan won all nine of their rubbers to advance out of their round-robin pool.
2017: Steady ranking maintenance
In 2017, Naomi Osaka maintained a steady ranking, not rising higher than No. 44 or falling lower than No. 68.
2017: Hired Sascha Bajin as coach
In late 2017, Naomi Osaka hired Sascha Bajin to be her coach, marking a significant change in her training regimen.
2018: Breakthrough Season Mental Improvements
In 2018, Naomi Osaka credited improving her mental approach and reducing unforced errors for her breakthrough season. She noted these changes at the Wuhan Open, attributing some of them to her coach Sascha Bajin.
2018: Won US Open
In 2018, Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams in the final of the US Open to win her first major title, becoming the first Japanese woman to win a major singles title.
2018: Return to Fed Cup and Victory Against Great Britain
In 2018, Naomi Osaka returned to the Fed Cup team for Japan and won her opening match against Heather Watson. After Japan won the final rubber, the team earned promotion to World Group II in 2019.
2018: Won first tour title and US Open
In 2018, Naomi Osaka won her first Tour title at the Indian Wells Open and defeated Serena Williams in the final of the US Open.
2018: Began living with depression
Naomi Osaka has lived with depression since the 2018 US Open.
2018: Sascha Bajin Named WTA Coach of the Year
Sascha Bajin was named the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year in 2018 for his work with Naomi Osaka, who had a breakthrough season.
January 2019: Reached world number 1 ranking
In January 2019, Naomi Osaka was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the WTA, making her the first Asian player to achieve this top ranking in singles.
2019: Promotion to World Group II
In 2019, Naomi Osaka and the Japan Fed Cup team secured promotion to World Group II after winning their tie against Great Britain in 2018.
2019: Began relationship with Cordae
In 2019, Naomi Osaka began a relationship with American rapper Cordae (then YBN Cordae).
2019: Earnings in Endorsements
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 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. She won her first match and beat Elise Mertens in the first round and then she was defeated by Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals. She also made it to the second round at Wimbledon before losing to Emma Navarro.
2019: Included on Time's list of 100 most influential people
In 2019, Naomi Osaka was included on Time'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 most influential people in the world for representing professional tennis well as a role model.
2019: Won Australian Open and reached world No. 1
In early 2019, Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open and achieved 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 Sascha Bajin and hired Jermaine Jenkins as her new coach from March until October. She temporarily replaced him with her father in September.
2019: Nike Apparel Sponsor
Since 2019, Nike has been Naomi Osaka's apparel sponsor, replacing Adidas. Osaka has a clothing collection with Nike featuring her monogram logo.
December 2020: First edition of manga series released
In December 2020, the first edition of the manga series featuring Naomi Osaka appeared in the February 2021 issue of Nakayoshi magazine.
2020: Lost in third round at Olympics
At the 2020 Olympics, Naomi Osaka lost in the third round.
2020: Hiring Wim Fissette
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. She was also the 29th highest-paid athlete overall.
2020: Ranked among top athletes in endorsement income
In 2020, Naomi Osaka ranked eighth among athletes in endorsement income and had the highest-ever annual income of any female athlete. She was also named one of the Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year.
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 in 2020.
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 matches. At the US Open, she wore masks with the names of African Americans killed, including Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. She also attended protests of the murder of George Floyd.
2020: Won second US Open title
In 2020, Naomi Osaka won her second US Open title, becoming the first player to win a US Open women's singles final by coming from a set down since 1994.
2020: Renouncing American Citizenship
In 2020, leading up to the Olympics, Naomi Osaka, who held dual citizenship with Japan and the United States, renounced her American citizenship to represent her birth country, Japan, at the Olympic Games.
January 2021: Brand Ambassador for Tag Heuer and Louis Vuitton
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 Nakayoshi magazine
In February 2021, Naomi Osaka was featured as the main character in a manga series published by Kodansha in Nakayoshi magazine. The series is drawn by Futago Kamikita with the help of Osaka's sister Mari.
March 2021: Osaka spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes
In March 2021, Naomi Osaka spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes, raising awareness on the issue.
May 2021: Refused press conferences during French Open
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. She later withdrew from the event on May 31 to restore her mental health.
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 Michael Phelps and Nathan Chen.
September 2021: Lost to Leylah Fernandez at US Open
In September 2021, Naomi Osaka lost to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open. She threw her racket and received a code violation, later announcing an indefinite break from the sport and starting therapy.
2021: Contract with IMG expired
At the end of 2021, Naomi Osaka's contract with IMG expired after six years of representation.
2021: Became 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: 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 her first final since the 2021 Australian Open at the Miami Open after defeating Belinda Bencic in the semifinals. As the 77th-ranked player, she became the lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament's history. However, she lost in straight sets to Iga Świątek in the final.
2021: Suffered from depression and withdrew from tournaments
In 2021, Naomi Osaka suffered from depression and other issues, leading to her publicly scrutinized retirement from the French Open and withdrawal from Wimbledon.
2021: Named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
In 2021, Naomi Osaka was named the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and was included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world for the third year in a row. She also lit the Olympic cauldron.
2021: Won second Australian Open title
In 2021, Naomi Osaka won her second Australian Open title, becoming one of only three players in the Open Era to win her first four Grand Slam finals.
2021: First Title Since 2021 Australian Open
Naomi Osaka achieved her first title since the 2021 Australian Open, winning the WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament in 2021 by defeating Kaja Juvan in the final. This marked her first tournament victory on clay.
February 2022: Ruling in Lawsuit Against Bitconnect
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. Naomi Osaka was sued for her involvement.
May 2022: Announced formation of sports agency, Evolve
In May 2022, Naomi Osaka announced that she and her agent, Stuart Duguid, would form their own sports agency, Evolve, in which they would have equity stakes.
May 2022: Osaka felt content with her mental health journey
In May 2022, Naomi Osaka said that while there have been ups and downs, she feels very content with her mental health journey.
June 20, 2022: Signed Nick Kyrgios as first client
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 made her return to professional tennis at the Brisbane International after a break. She won her first match since September 2022 against Tamara Korpatsch before losing to Karolína Plíšková in the second round.
2022: Launched Hana Kuma media company
In 2022, Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid launched Hana Kuma, a media and production company in partnership with TheSpringHill Company.
2022: Evolve Sports Management Agency
In 2022, Naomi Osaka left IMG to set up her own sports management agency, Evolve, alongside her agent, Stuart Duguid.
2022: Furthest run in a major
Naomi Osaka reached her furthest run in a major since the 2022 Australian Open when she competed in the 2025 Australian Open. This boosted her ranking to world No. 42.
January 2023: Osaka revealed pregnancy
In January 2023, Naomi Osaka revealed that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae, not long after withdrawing from the Australian Open.
July 7, 2023: Osaka welcomed a baby girl
On July 7, 2023, Naomi Osaka welcomed a healthy baby girl with Cordae.
2023: Hana Kuma spun off independently
In 2023, Hana Kuma, the media and production company launched by Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid, spun off independently after a $5 million fundraising round.
2023: Took maternity leave
In 2023, Naomi Osaka took maternity leave from professional tennis.
January 2024: Hopes to return to tennis
In January 2024, Osaka expressed her hope to return to tennis at the Australian Open after having her child.
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 as Coach
In September 2024, Naomi Osaka added Patrick Mouratoglou as her coach.
2024: Paris Olympics First Round Loss
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Naomi Osaka experienced a first-round loss to Angelique Kerber, who was playing in the final tournament of her career.
2024: Withdrawal from Australian Open
Days before the Australian Open in 2024, Naomi Osaka announced her withdrawal from the championships as she was expecting her first child with rapper Cordae. She confirmed she would return for the 2024 Australian Open and later announced her comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International.
2024: Hana Kuma partnered with LPGA
In 2024, Hana Kuma announced a partnership with the LPGA to create a brand building program for female golfers.
2024: Returned to competition
In 2024, Naomi Osaka returned to professional tennis competition after maternity leave.
January 6, 2025: Osaka and Cordae no longer in a relationship
On January 6, 2025, Osaka announced that she and Cordae were no longer in a relationship, adding that there is "no bad blood" between the two.
2025: Auckland Open Final and Australian Open
In 2025, Naomi Osaka reached her first final since 2022 at the Auckland Open, but retired due to injury. At the Australian Open in 2025, she defeated Caroline Garcia and Karolína Muchová before retiring against Belinda Bencic.
2025: Tomasz Wiktorowski as Coach
In mid-2025, Naomi Osaka started being coached by Tomasz Wiktorowski, who previously coached Iga Swiatek.
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