Naomi Osaka reveals that her family and Serena Williams are her role models
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Naomi Osaka has been one of the frontrunners of Women’s tennis for the past couple of years. She has transformed from a shy and awkward teenager into an international icon. Last year, she was named the highest-earning female athlete in the world. The 3-time grand slam champion has also become a leading voice in the fight against racial injustice, which was best seen at the US Open in September.
At a young age of 23, Naomi is amongst the most influential figures in sports across the globe. A few years back, the Japanese herself had her own set of influences while growing up. In an interview with Fashion Weekly recently, she revealed that her family, as well as 23-time Major winner Serena Williams, have been among her biggest sources of inspiration over the years.
“I’m someone who grew up playing tennis and wanted to become good enough to play on a global scale. And somehow, I did it,” Osaka said. “I have quite a few role models actually. Having many role models is great because you can draw traits from each of them and build your own ideal. My family will of course always be my number one influence, and I really admire Serena Williams,” she added.
Naomi Osaka is very vocal about social issues
Most of the tennis stars keep their personal opinions to themselves and are not vocal about issues happening off-court. But there is now a whole new generation of players who are beginning to display their individuality – not just on the court, but off it as well.
The 23-year old Naomi Osaka considers herself as one of these players. The reigning US Open champion is optimistic about the future of the sport as she believes the younger generation is not afraid to speak out on issues that matter to them.
“I’m very optimistic about the future of tennis,” Osaka said. “There are a lot of new personalities on the tour, which is really good for the sport. When you think of the Wimbledon white rule for example, it’s maybe easy to see tennis as a bland sport, but it’s changing deeply. And I think it’s going to be fun.”
“The newer generation has a strong voice and is not afraid to use it,” she added. “They’re going to have a very loud off-court presence, and I count myself a part of that, because I’m constantly being inspired by things that are happening off the court.”
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