History of Naomi Osaka in Timeline

Naomi Osaka is a highly accomplished Japanese professional tennis player, achieving the world No. 1 ranking by the WTA for 25 weeks, a first for an Asian player. She has secured seven WTA Tour-level singles titles, notably winning four major championships: the Australian Open (twice) and the US Open (twice). Osaka also holds the distinction of being the first Japanese player to ever win a major singles title, marking a significant milestone in her career and for Japanese tennis.

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.

1995: Kimiko Date Last Japanese Player in Pan Pacific Open Final

In 1995, Kimiko Date was the last Japanese player to contest the final at the Pan Pacific Open until Naomi Osaka did so in 2016.

October 16, 1997: Naomi Osaka Born

On October 16, 1997, Naomi Osaka, a Japanese professional tennis player, was born. She would later achieve the world No. 1 ranking and win seven WTA Tour-level singles titles.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Family Inspired by Williams Sisters

In 1999, Naomi Osaka's father was inspired to teach his daughters tennis after watching the Williams sisters compete at the French Open, setting the stage for their tennis careers.

2001: Japan's Last Appearance at Hopman Cup Until 2018

In 2001, Japan last appeared in the Hopman Cup until 2018.

2006: Family Moved to Florida for Tennis Training

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

2008: Yonex Racket Sponsorship

Since 2008, Yonex has supplied Osaka with rackets.

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: First Semifinal

In 2012, Naomi Osaka reached the semi-finals of a $10k event in Amelia Island, losing to her sister Mari.

June 2013: First $25k Final

In June 2013, Naomi Osaka reached the final of a $25k level tournament in El Paso, Texas, marking one of her first significant achievements on the ITF circuit.

September 2013: Osaka Turns Professional

In September 2013, Naomi Osaka turned professional shortly before her 16th birthday, marking the beginning of her professional tennis career.

2013: Reaches First ITF Final

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

March 2014: Second $25k Final

In March 2014, Naomi Osaka reached her second $25k final in Irapuato, Mexico, where she defeated her sister Mari.

2014: Training at Harold Solomon Tennis Academy

In 2014, Naomi Osaka began training at the Harold Solomon Tennis Academy, continuing her development as a tennis player.

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, upsetting world No. 19 Samantha Stosur at just 16 years old.

2015: Rising Stars Invitational Win and WTA 125 Final

In 2015, Naomi Osaka won the Rising Stars Invitational at the WTA Finals, defeating Caroline Garcia, and reached the final of the WTA 125 Hua Hin Championships.

2016: Avenges US Open Loss to Madison Keys

At the 2016 US Open, Naomi Osaka avenged her loss from a previous tournament by defeating Madison Keys to advance to the final.

2016: Loss at US Open and New Coach

Following her loss at the 2016 US Open, where she couldn't convert a 5–1 lead, the Japan Tennis Association helped arrange for David Taylor to be her new coach.

2016: First Career WTA Final at Pan Pacific Open

In 2016, one notable instance in which Osaka's strategy of winning long rallies proved successful was when she made her first career WTA final at the Pan Pacific Open.

2016: Representation by IMG Management Company

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

2017: Switches Coaches to Sascha Bajin

After the 2017 season, 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, Osaka made her Fed Cup debut for Japan, competing in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I.

2018: First Major Title at the US Open

In 2018, Naomi Osaka won her first major title at the US Open, defeating Serena Williams in a controversial final, becoming the first Japanese Grand Slam singles champion.

2018: Hopman Cup Debut with Yūichi Sugita

In 2018, Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut with Yūichi Sugita, marking Japan's first appearance since 2001.

2018: Bajin Named WTA Coach of the Year

In 2018, Sascha Bajin was named the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year.

2018: Japan advances to the World Group II Play-offs

In 2018, with Osaka absent, Japan was able to defeat Kazakhstan in the same group to advance to the 2018 World Group II Play-offs.

2018: Mental improvement and consistency

Osaka credited improving her mental approach and cutting down on unforced errors for her breakthrough season in 2018.

2018: Battling Depression Since US Open

Osaka has lived with depression since the 2018 US Open.

2019: Japan earns promotion to World Group II

In 2019, Japan won the final rubber to earn promotion to World Group II.

2019: Nike Becomes Apparel Sponsor

In 2019, Nike became Osaka's apparel sponsor, replacing Adidas.

2019: Began Relationship with Cordae

In 2019, Osaka began a relationship with American rapper Cordae (then YBN Cordae).

2019: High Earnings in Endorsements

In 2019, Osaka earned an estimated $16 million in endorsements, placing her second among female athletes.

2019: Return to Grass Courts

In 2019, Osaka returned to grass courts for the first time since that year at 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

2019: Named to Time 100 List

In 2019, Osaka was also named to the Time 100 list for representing professional tennis well.

2019: Naomi Osaka (2019 – 25 w)

Naomi Osaka held the world number one ranking for 25 weeks starting in 2019.

2019: Split with Coach Sascha Bajin

Shortly after her 2019 Australian Open title, Osaka surprisingly split with Sascha Bajin and hired Jermaine Jenkins as her new coach from March until October.

December 2020: First Edition of Manga Series Appeared

The first edition of manga series featuring Osaka appeared in December 2020.

2020: Olympics Result

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

2020: Activism and Protests

In 2020, Osaka became a leading activist, withdrawing from the Cincinnati Open to raise awareness for the shooting of Jacob Blake. She also highlighted victims of racial injustice at the US Open and attended protests for George Floyd.

2020: Highest-Paid Female Athlete of All Time

In 2020, Osaka became the highest-paid female athlete of all time, earning $37.4 million, including $34 million in endorsements.

2020: Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and Time 100

In 2020, Osaka was named a Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and one of the Time 100 most influential people for her activism.

2020: Hired Wim Fissette as New Coach

Osaka hired Wim Fissette at the start of the 2020 season.

January 2021: Brand Ambassador for Tag Heuer and Louis Vuitton

In January 2021, Osaka was named brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches and Louis Vuitton.

February 2021: Manga Series Debut

In February 2021, Osaka was featured as the main character in a manga series published by Kodansha.

March 2021: Osaka Speaks Out Against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

In March 2021, Osaka spoke out against anti-Asian hate crimes.

May 2021: Withdrawal from French Open

In May 2021, Osaka refused to participate in press conferences at the French Open, withdrew from the event, and was subsequently fined due to mental health concerns.

June 2021: Brand Ambassador for Panasonic

In June 2021, Panasonic announced the signing of Osaka as a brand ambassador.

September 2021: Loss at US Open and Indefinite Break

In September 2021, Osaka lost to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open, displayed frustration during the match, and announced an indefinite break from tennis. She mentioned feeling anxious and later started therapy.

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: Withdraws in Second Round of French Open

Naomi Osaka withdraws from the Second Round of the 2021 French Open.

2021: IMG Contract Expires

Naomi Osaka's contract with IMG expired at the end of 2021, leading to stalled renewal talks and the eventual formation of her own agency.

February 2022: Legal Ruling impacting social media solicitations

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: Content with Mental Health Journey

In May 2022, Naomi Osaka expressed contentment with her mental health journey, acknowledging both ups and downs.

May 2022: Forms Sports Agency Evolve

In May 2022, Naomi Osaka partnered with her agent, Stuart Duguid, to form her own sports agency, Evolve, after being represented by IMG for six years.

June 20, 2022: Signs Nick Kyrgios as First Client

On June 20, 2022, Naomi Osaka announced that she had signed Nick Kyrgios as her first client at her new agency.

September 2022: Last Professional Match Before Hiatus

In September 2022, Osaka played her last professional match before taking a hiatus from tennis.

2022: Iga Świątek (2022/2024 – 125 w)

Iga Świątek held the world number one ranking for 125 weeks starting in 2022.

2022: Launches Hana Kuma

In 2022, Naomi Osaka and Stuart Duguid launched Hana Kuma, a media and production company.

2022: Formation of Sports Management Agency

In 2022, Osaka left IMG to set up her own sports management agency, Evolve.

January 2023: Pregnancy Announcement

In January 2023, Osaka announced that she was pregnant with her first child with Cordae.

July 7, 2023: Welcomed a Baby Girl

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

2023: Aryna Sabalenka (2023/2024 – 9 w)

Aryna Sabalenka held the world number one ranking for 9 weeks starting in 2023.

2023: Hana Kuma Spins-Off Independently

In 2023, Hana Kuma, Naomi Osaka's media company, spun-off independently after a $5 million fundraising round.

2023: Investor in Miami Pickleball Team

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

January 2024: Planned Return to Tennis

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

September 13, 2024: End of Coaching Relationship with Wim Fissette

On September 13, 2024, Osaka announced the end of her coaching relationship with Wim Fissette.

September 2024: Patrick Mouratoglou Joins as Coach

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

2024: Close Second-Round Loss at French Open

At the 2024 French Open, Osaka experienced a narrow second-round defeat against Iga Świątek, despite holding a set point and a match point.

2024: Iga Świątek (2022/2024 – 125 w)

Iga Świątek held the world number one ranking for 125 weeks until 2024.

2024: Hana Kuma Partners with LPGA

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

2024: Withdrawal from Australian Open and Confirmation of Return

In 2024, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open due to expecting her first child. She confirmed her return to the sport at the 2024 Australian Open.