Naomi Osaka - The Innocent
TENNIS - WTA - JAPAN - OLYMPIAN
ARCHETYPE: THE INNOCENT
Day 124/135
Athletic Accomplishments
Naomi Osaka is currently the No. 2 ranked tennis player in the world, and one of the world’s most marketable athletes, ranked either in the world in endorsement income in 2020. How and where did it all begin?
Osaka was born in Japan to a Japanese mom and Haitian father, taking her mother’s last name, casually smashing the patriarchy ever so slightly since birth. After moving to the United States, Osaka’s father Leonard François was inspired by watching Venus and Serena Williams play tennis, and learning that their father Richard Williams coached the sisters, despite never having played the sport. Emulating that model, François began training Naomi and her sister Mari, moving to Florida at age 9 to train.
At age 16, Osaka turned professional. In 2018, she won her first WTA title at the Indian Wells Open, following later in the year with her first ever major singles title, defeating Serena Williams at the US Open and becoming the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
At just 23 years old, Osaka has already won seven singles titles in her career, and is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, including back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019. What makes Osaka special is more than just her serve—at 124 mph, one of the fastest in WTA history—it’s also how she’s able to win long rallies, owning the baseline to play the perfect shot.
Later this month, she will head into the Tokyo Olympics with the goal of winning her first medal in front of a home crowd and reclaiming the notoriety she earned from playing like an actual champion.
Character Archetype: The Innocent
It’s a gift to watch Naomi Osaka serve, rally, and stalk the baseline. Which is why these past few weeks have been troubling for tennis fans who love watching her play but also care for her as a real live human person.
Last month, Osaka declared that she would not do press conferences at the French Open, prompting the French Open officials to fine her $15,000. Osaka then pulled out of the tournament to focus on her mental health and its impact on her game. This month, she pulled out of Wimbledon as well. It made me think of the question every slumping athlete has asked themselves:
Are you in your head because you’re playing poorly? Or are you playing poorly because you’re in your head?
While many athletes take on a conqueror’s hard-ass mentality, that’s not Osaka’s vibe. She’s an introvert and an empath, who withdrew from the 2020 Cincinnati Open to raise awareness after the police shooting of Jacob Blake. At the 2020 US Open, she wore a different mask each day, displaying the names of Black Americans who had been killed by police.
So, how do we help Osaka get back to full strength in advance of this summer’s Olympics?
It’s not a common sports solution like “hard work” or “practice,” but I know it’s the right answer: empathy.