Naomi Osaka embodies the spirit of “Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack!” Reflecting on her journey in 2020, during an interview with WSJ Magazine, Osaka recalled an incident when she was a girl and playing against a Japanese opponent. “She was talking with another Japanese girl, and they didn’t know that I was listening [or that] I spoke Japanese. Her friend asked her who she was playing, so she said Osaka. And her friend says, ‘Oh, that Black girl. Is she supposed to be Japanese?’ And then the girl that I was playing was like, ‘I don’t think so.’” Osaka felt this sentiment was common in her early days. But her parents had her back!

Let’s dive into the context first: In recent years, there has been a notable increase in movies highlighting the sport. Prominent examples include the widely discussed and big-budget productions of Battle of the Sexes (2017), King Richard (2021), and Challengers (2024). Adding to this trend is Julie Keeps Quiet (Julie Zwijgt).

It is a Belgian arthouse film that premiered at Cannes the previous year and was subsequently Belgium’s entry for this year’s Academy Awards. On April 18th, Osaka opened up about her role as an executive producer of the Belgian film in an interview with Ben Rothenberg. So what drew Osaka to this film earlier this year in Melbourne?

“I mean, obviously it’s kind of focused on tennis. I feel like it draws attention to—I don’t want to say ‘worlds’—but it draws attention to things that people can’t really see in the spotlight. And not insinuating anything, but I feel like it really humanizes the world of tennis, in a way,” revealed the Japanese tennis star. Then came the real concern surrounding tennis.

Rothenberg then reminded her that issues surrounding coaches, potential abuse, interactions with young athletes, and the tendency to remain silent have been ongoing problems in tennis for many years in various forms. And asked her whether specific past incidents in tennis have resonated with her, caused her concern, or remained memorable to her.

The tennis star reflected, “Well, honestly, very transparently, I do know when I was growing up there were quite a few stories. And you just kind of know it, in your head. But I’m very aware that, like, people outside of tennis don’t know it, and it’s kind of shocking to them. But I grew up just very grateful that my parents were always around and protecting me. Because I think it is very easy to be taken advantage [of].“

Later on, Rothenberg asked her to be a little more specific about things she encountered in her childhood days. Osaka initially hesitated a bit, but later on, she said, “It’s funny, because it feels, like, very taboo to talk about this. But I don’t know, like, why it is taboo? But I wouldn’t say it’s local; of course, there are, like, a couple stories here and there. But I would say it was more mainly when I got on tour. Like, you just hear things about people.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka, has a super-close relationship with her mom, Tamaki Osaka, and her dad, Leonard Francois.

Her mother played a pivotal role in her daughter’s competitive journey, as she was the only one working in the family. Tamaki had, in fact, taken up multiple jobs to help her daughter follow her passion for the sport. There were even days when she used to sleep in cars just to support her children. Notably, Ben Rothenberg, who’s also the author of Naomi Osaka’s biography, hailed Tamaki as a “real driving force” on her tennis journey.

Meanwhile, her father, Francois, was her coach despite not having tennis experience. He even dedicated his life to training his daughters by following the blueprint of Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena. And for the record, Osaka has always been very vocal about multiple social and health issues. But who, according to her, has been the role model in his journey?

“Growing up, I saw my mother work incredibly hard to support me and my passion for play. She always put others first and encouraged me to embrace my diversity. Every role model I’ve had has inspired me to dream big. To level up in every way. And while I’m still working on how to be the best role model I can be, I want to show them that I stick to my beliefs and love who I am.“

Unlike many players, Osaka’s tennis aspiration extended beyond personal glory. Initially, her primary motivation was to financially support her family, particularly allowing her mother to stop working. Later on, after the birth of her first child, Shai, in 2023, a new set of responsibilities has now been added to her shoulders. What’s it?

Naomi Osaka on being an exemplary role model to her own daughter

Naomi Osaka welcomed Shai in July 2023. Ever since becoming a mother, she says that she has learned to see life differently. In a previous interview with CNN Sports, she admitted, “Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day.” She has now found “outer happiness” and “inner peace“.

In January 2024, she revealed how Shai has helped her grow up rapidly both on and off the court. While elaborating about her on-court mindset after a match, she said, “A part of me felt like Shai was watching me. I wanted to do my best for her. While I’m playing, I’m aware of it in the sense that I want to be a good role model for my daughter. Other than that, I think I’m pretty much trying to be the same old me.” 

Then, in August 2024, during a press conference, Naomi Osaka was asked how she felt when little Black and Asian kids came to watch her play at the National Bank Open. In reply to that, she said, “Yeah, I mean, I think for me, representation is really important. I’ve thought that way since I was younger. I know I wouldn’t be here without my role models, Serena and Venus. Just to, I guess, blaze that path for other kids is really cool.” 

Seeing kids calling her their favorite player, and knowing that they have a parent behind them who blindly trusts whatever she does on and off the court, is really a huge thing, admitted the tennis star. Share your thoughts on Naomi Osaka’s incredible journey to stardom.