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, making her the first Asian player to reach this milestone. She has secured seven career singles titles, notably winning four major championships: two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open. She holds the distinction of being the first Japanese player to ever win a major singles title.

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: Last Set Comeback in US Open

In 1994, before Osaka in 2020, there was the last instance of a player winning a US Open women's singles final by coming from a set down.

1995: Kimiko Date Reached Pan Pacific Open Final

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

October 16, 1997: Naomi Osaka's Birth

On October 16, 1997, Naomi Osaka, a Japanese professional tennis player, was born. She would later achieve the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles and win seven career singles titles.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Williams Sisters Inspire Osaka's Father

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: First Hopman Cup Appearance Since 2001

In 2018, Osaka made her Hopman Cup debut. It was Japan's first appearance at the exhibition tournament since 2001.

2001: Heckling at Indian Wells

In March of 2022, during the Indian Wells Open, Naomi Osaka was upset by a heckler in the crowd during the second round and was in tears during the match. She compared her treatment to heckling at the tournament in 2001 that led the Williams sisters to boycott it for 13 years.

2001: Jennifer Capriati Won Grand Slam

Jennifer Capriati was the last player to follow up her first Grand Slam singles title with another at the next such event before Naomi Osaka in 2019.

2006: Family Moved to Florida for Training

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

2008: Yonex Racket Sponsorship Since 2008

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

October 2011: Played First Qualifying Match

In October 2011, on her 14th birthday, Naomi Osaka played her first qualifying match on the ITF Women's Circuit.

2012: Best Result at 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 First 25k Final in El Paso

In June 2013, Naomi Osaka reached one of her first two finals at the 25k level, held in El Paso, Texas.

September 2013: Turned Professional

In September 2013, Naomi Osaka turned professional shortly before turning 16 years old.

2013: First ITF Final

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

March 2014: Reached 25k Final in Irapuato

In March 2014, Naomi Osaka reached another 25k final in Irapuato, Mexico, and included a victory over her sister Mari.

2014: Joined Harold Solomon Tennis Academy

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

2014: Training with Harold Solomon's Academy

In 2014, Osaka spent seven months training at an academy run by Harold Solomon and defeated Sam Stosur for her first WTA match win.

2014: Defeated Samantha Stosur in WTA Debut

In 2014, at the age of 16, Naomi Osaka gained prominence by defeating former US Open champion Samantha Stosur in her WTA Tour debut at the Stanford Classic.

2014: Qualified for First WTA Main Draw and Upset Samantha Stosur

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.

2015: First Appearance in a Tournament Below Tour-Level Since 2015

After an early loss in Madrid, Osaka entered the minor-league Challenger Tour WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament, her first appearance in a tournament below Tour-level since 2015.

2015: Reached Two Highest Level Finals and Won Rising Stars Invitational

In 2015, Naomi Osaka reached two high-level finals, including the Kangaroo Cup and the Surbiton Trophy. During the WTA Finals in October, she won the Rising Stars Invitational, defeating Caroline Garcia.

2015: Serena Williams Won Consecutive Major Singles Titles

Serena Williams was the last woman to win consecutive major singles titles before Naomi Osaka in 2019.

2016: David Taylor as New Coach

Following her loss at the 2016 US Open, the Japan Tennis Association helped arrange for David Taylor to be her new coach.

2016: Reached First WTA Final

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

2016: First WTA Final at Pan Pacific Open

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

2016: Lost to Madison Keys at US Open

Naomi Osaka suffered a tough loss to Madison Keys at the US Open in 2016.

2016: IMG Representation Since 2016

Osaka was represented by the IMG management company since 2016.

2017: Switch to Sascha Bajin as Coach

After the 2017 season, Osaka switched coaches to Sascha Bajin.

2017: Maintained Steady Ranking

In 2017, Naomi Osaka maintained a steady ranking, without reaching a new career high. Her ranking fluctuated between No. 44 and No. 68.

2017: Fed Cup Debut for Japan

In 2017, Osaka made her Fed Cup debut for Japan, with the team competing in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I. They advanced out of their round-robin pool, but were not able to advance further despite Osaka winning her singles match.

2018: Japan Defeats Kazakhstan in Fed Cup

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

2018: Won First Tour Title and US Open

In 2018, Naomi Osaka broke into the upper echelon of women's tennis by winning her first Tour title at the Indian Wells Open, and then defeating Serena Williams in the final of the US Open.

2018: Won US Open

In 2018, Naomi Osaka won her first major title at the US Open by defeating Serena Williams in the final.

2018: Bajin Named WTA Coach of the Year

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

2018: Breakthrough Season Mental Improvement

Osaka credited improving her mental approach and cutting down on unforced errors for her breakthrough season in 2018. At the Wuhan Open towards the end of the year, she noted her biggest improvement was mental, and she attributed some of these changes to her coach Sascha Bajin.

2018: Battling depression

Since 2018, Naomi Osaka has lived with depression, starting around the time of the US Open.

January 2019: Reached WTA No. 1 Ranking

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

2019: Promotion to World Group II in Fed Cup

In 2019, Japan won their final rubber to earn promotion to World Group II in the Fed Cup.

2019: Began relationship with Cordae

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

2019: Included on Time's 100 Most Influential People List

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

2019: Nike Apparel Sponsorship

In 2019, Nike became Osaka's apparel sponsor, replacing Adidas. With Nike, she has a clothing collection featuring her monogram logo.

2019: Endorsement Earnings in 2019

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 2019 in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. She beat Elise Mertens in the first round, reached the quarterfinals, and then lost to Bianca Andreescu. At Wimbledon, she got to the second round before losing to Emma Navarro.

2019: Won Australian Open and Reached World No. 1

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

2019: Time 100 Most Influential People in 2019

Osaka was named to the Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2019 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, Osaka split with Sascha Bajin. She hired Jermaine Jenkins as her new coach from March until October.

December 2020: First edition of manga series

In December 2020, the first edition of the Naomi Osaka manga series appeared in the February 2021 issue of Nakayoshi magazine.

2020: Hiring Wim Fissette

At the start of the 2020 season, Osaka hired Wim Fissette.

2020: Olympics loss

In 2020, Naomi Osaka lost in the third round of the Olympics.

2020: Ranked Eighth in Athlete Endorsements and Named Sportsperson of the Year

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 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year for her activism, particularly during her US Open championship run.

2020: Highest-Paid Female Athlete in 2020

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

2020: Renouncing American Citizenship

In 2020, Osaka renounced her American citizenship to represent Japan at the Olympics.

2020: Activism and Protests

In 2020, Osaka's decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open to raise awareness for the Jacob Blake shooting led to the postponement of matches. At the US Open, she wore masks displaying the names of African Americans killed, and she attended protests of the murder of George Floyd.

2020: Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year

Osaka was named a 2020 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for her activism.

January 2021: Brand Ambassador for Tag Heuer and Louis Vuitton

In January 2021, Osaka was named the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches and Louis Vuitton, and she appeared 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. The manga was drawn by Futago Kamikita with assistance from Osaka's sister, Mari.

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 Controversy and Withdrawal

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

June 2021: Panasonic Brand Ambassador

In June 2021, Panasonic announced the signing of Osaka as a brand ambassador for the "Panasonic Green Impact" initiative.

September 2021: US Open loss and break from tennis

In September 2021, Naomi Osaka lost to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open. She exhibited frustration, throwing her racket and receiving a code violation. Subsequently, she announced an indefinite break from tennis and later sought therapy.

2021: First Title Since 2021 Australian Open

At the WTA 125 Open de Saint-Malo tournament, Osaka defeated Kaja Juvan in the final, achieving her first title since the 2021 Australian Open and her first tournament victory on clay.

2021: Contract with IMG expired

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

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: Dropped in WTA Rankings

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

2021: Suffered from Depression and Withdrew from Tournaments

In 2021, Naomi Osaka suffered from depression and other issues, which led to a publicly scrutinized retirement from the French Open and withdrawal from Wimbledon.

2021: Named Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and Lighted Olympic Cauldron

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: Won Australian Open

In 2021, Naomi Osaka won the Australian Open, claiming her second Australian Open title.

2021: Tokyo Olympics Performance

In 2021, Osaka, ranked 2nd in the world, lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony and lost in the 3rd round of the Tokyo Olympics to Markéta Vondroušová.

2021: Withdrew before 2nd round at French Open

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

February 2022: 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.

May 2022: Formed sports agency, Evolve

In May 2022, Naomi Osaka announced that she and her agent, Stuart Duguid, would form their own sports agency, Evolve.

May 2022: Mental health journey

In May 2022, Naomi Osaka said that 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: First Professional Match Since September 2022

In September 2022, Osaka played her first professional match since September 2022, defeating Tamara Korpatsch at the Brisbane tournament before losing to Karolína Plíšková.

2022: Launched Hana Kuma

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

2022: Establishment of Evolve Sports Management Agency

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

2022: Furthest Major Run Since 2022 Australian Open

In 2025, Osaka's performance at the Australian Open was her furthest advance in a major since the 2022 Australian Open, boosting her ranking to world No. 42.

January 2023: Pregnancy announcement

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

July 7, 2023: Birth of daughter

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

2023: Investor in pickleball team

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

2023: Took Maternity Leave

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

2023: Withdrawal from Australian Open

In 2023, Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open, announcing her pregnancy with rapper Cordae and her intention to return for the 2024 event.

2023: Hana Kuma spun off independently

In 2023, after a $5 million fundraising round, Hana Kuma spun off independently. The company has many ventures, including the video interview series "Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios".

January 2024: Hoped return to tennis

In January 2024, Osaka hoped 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 as Coach

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

2024: Loss at 2024 Paris Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Osaka lost in the first round to Angelique Kerber.

2024: Hana Kuma partners 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 taking maternity leave.

2024: Return to Professional Tennis Announced

In 2024, Osaka announced her return to professional tennis at the Brisbane International, preceding the Australian Open.

January 6, 2025: End of relationship with Cordae

On January 6, 2025, Naomi Osaka announced that she and Cordae were no longer in a relationship.

2025: Auckland Open and Australian Open Performance

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

2025: Coached by Tomasz Wiktorowski

In mid-2025, Osaka started being coached by Tomasz Wiktorowski, who previously coached Iga Świątek.

January 2026: Withdrawal from 2026 Australian Open

On January 24, 2026, Osaka withdrew from the 2026 Australian Open due to an abdominal injury.

2026: United Cup Participation

In 2026, Osaka started her season playing for Japan at the United Cup. She lost to Maria Sakkari but defeated Katie Swan, though Japan lost at the group stage.