Naomi Osaka, ranked #1 by the Women’s Tennis Association, is the greatest tennis player I’ve ever seen. At just 23, she’s already won three Grand Slam single titles and six Women’s Tennis Association titles. She won the 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open, and 2020 US Open. Osaka doesn’t hesitate to show off her Japanese pride and embraces her heritage in many ways. There are countless photos of her holding the Japanese flag as well as interviews in which she’s talked about being a Japanese native. She’s 5’11”,  a beast on the court, and I absolutely love her. 

Osaka is extremely powerful and gives full energy on the court each time. When I watch her play I’m truly amazed by how much power and strength she has. 

As a tennis player myself, I’ve grown up watching my father, grandpa, and basically my whole family play. It’s a sport you can play for the rest of your life, and I really enjoy it. In the fall, I love playing tennis with my dad at the park, where it’s peaceful. As a kid, I used to play at a club and loved being surrounded by/watching all kinds of players all day. I would spend hours on the court, even if I wasn’t playing. Half the time, I just made friends as I watched my dad play. Growing up, I looked up to Maria Sharapova! I wanted to be like her so much that I turned my Flat Stanley project into her! Watching her play amazed me and I found her incredible, and I still do. When I first watched Naomi Osaka play, however, I was starstruck. It was a different type of amazing and my jaw dropped. The way she moves, her attitude towards the game, all of it, was unbelievable. 

In the 2018 US Open, Naomi Osaka had one of the biggest moments of her career. She played against Serena Williams, one of the world’s best tennis players and her idol. Going against each other in the championship was crazy. The whole match was intense and I could not take my eyes off the screen. I just had to watch everything. Osaka stated, “When I step onto the court, I feel like a different person, right? I’m not a Serena fan. I’m just a tennis player playing another tennis player…But then when I hugged her at the net. When I hugged her at the net, I felt like a little kid again,” she added fighting back the tears. “When I was growing up, I did a whole report on her in third grade. I colored it and everything. I said, ‘I want to be like her.’” Obviously it was a surreal moment for her. I can’t imagine what it’d have been like, and I’m so happy for her. If I was a tennis prodigy and somehow got to play against Maria Sharapova, my childhood idol, I would be in shock as well and bawl my eyes out immediately. 

Naomi Osaka ended up winning the title and played a very spectacular match. However, while accepting the award, she was booed by the crowd. At that moment, Williams still seemed to be frustrated by the umpire for falsely accusing her of cheating and Osaka didn’t really understand what was going on. She told Williams, “I’m sorry it had to end like this,” apologizing for winning. Osaka felt as though she shouldn’t have accepted the award. She knew how badly Serena had wanted to add to her title and have her 24th Grand Slam. Williams, however, realized what had happened and days later, after coming to peace with the results of the match, reached out to Osaka and wrote, “I am so proud of you and I am truly sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. But I had no idea the media would pit us against each other.” The two reconciled and it was clear that both had great intentions for each other from the beginning. 

Osaka concluded her statement about the incident and expressed what this meant to her. She said, “For me, I’m always going to remember the Serena that I love. It doesn’t change anything for me. She was really nice to me at the net and on the podium. I don’t really see what would change.” 

Naomi Osaka, no matter what happens, always tends to stay humble, and that’s why I love her attitude on the court. She tries her best in every game and only sees herself as a tennis player competing with another. She doesn’t get cocky and tell herself she’s the best because there’s always room for improvement. 

A simple but meaningful piece of advice my dad shared with me from a young age was “Always work hard to be the best version of yourself, instead of just thinking you’re the best. Be humble and remind yourself there’s always room for improvement.” When I watch Naomi Osaka, she epitomizes that. She knows she’s good, but continuously works hard because she knows there’s more she can do. Through this, she’s always showing the best version of herself and she shines when she plays! In your free time, I suggest watching some of her matches, you won’t get bored. She’s remarkable.