Naomi Osaka has won the US Open twice
Naomi Osaka will be the favourite heading into the US Open 2021 as the defending champion
Naomi Osaka has attained celebrity status in the tennis world after becoming a 4-time Grand Slam winner with her US Open victory last year.
Osaka is the first Asian tennis player to be ranked No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association and the first Japanese-born player to win a Grand Slam. At 23, she has already become a part of an American documentary television miniseries directed by Garrett Bradley titled with her name. Her future is very bright as the World No. 2 is just getting started.
She was born in Osaka, Japan but moved to USA when she was three years old. She has signed deals with companies like Nike, Citizen, Nissin, Nissan, ANA Airlines, Shiseido and bareMinerals. The Japanese is coached by Wim Fissette, who has trained the likes of Jermaine Jenkins and Sascha Bajin.
Her first appearance at Flushing Meadows came back in 2015, as a 17-year old. She reached the second round of qualifying but was unable to make the main draw of the Grand Slam.
The next year was her first entrance into the main draw, where she reached the Third Round of the US Open where she lost to eighth seed Madison Keys 5-7, 6-4, 6-7.
The Japanese shocked the world winning her first-ever Grand Slam title in 2018. Osaka shocked legend Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4, in an emotional final to win the 2018 US Open women’s singles title. In the process, she became the first Japanese player to win a major singles title in the history of the sport.
“I think maybe in a few days I’ll realize what I’ve done. I felt like I shouldn’t let myself be overcome by nerves or anything, and I should just really focus on playing tennis because that’s what’s gotten me to this point,” she said after the final. (h/t US Open)
It was the fourth time in the Open era that a player seeded No. 10 or higher won the US Open.
Osaka has seven titles on the WTA Tour with two at the Premier Mandatory level. The Japanese is one of the world’s highest net worth for athletes, having been ranked eighth in 2020.
The World No. 2 won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She followed this up with victories at Flushing Meadows in 2018 and 2020. Thus, she became the first woman to win successive Grand Slam singles titles since Serena Williams in 2015.
Her career record stands at 247–137 (64.3%). Osaka became the World No. 1 on January 28, 2019 creating history in the tennis world. She has accumulated $19,735,032 in prize money on tour.
| US Open | Total matches | Wins | Losses | Win % |
| Overall | 24 | 21 | 23 | 88 |
| Finals | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100 |
| Year | Opponent | Final score |
| 2018 | Serena Williams | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 2020 | Victoria Azarenka | 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
Osaka was in the spotlight after withdrawing from the French Open and Wimbledon this year, citing mental health issues. However, she returned to the Tokyo Olympics in her home country, but was shocked by eventual silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova.
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