Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player who has achieved global recognition as a four-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No. 1. Born on October 16, 1997, in Osaka, Japan, she moved to the United States at age three with her family to pursue tennis, inspired by the success of the Williams sisters. Osaka turned professional in 2013, bypassing junior competitions, and quickly emerged as a top talent in the sport. Her breakthrough came in 2018 when she won her first WTA Tour title at Indian Wells and then defeated Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final, becoming the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title. In 2019, she won the Australian Open and briefly held the No. 1 ranking, the first Asian player to do so. Osaka added two more Grand Slam titles: the 2020 U.S. Open and the 2021 Australian Open, making her the 16th woman in the Open Era to win four or more major singles championships. Osaka is also noted for her social activism and openness about mental health, notably withdrawing from the 2021 French Open to focus on her well-being. She served as the first tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo 2020 Games, symbolizing her significance beyond tennis. In 2025, Osaka made a competitive return from maternity leave, reaching finals in several tournaments including the Auckland Open and Montreal. She won her first title in over four years at the WTA 125 event in Saint Malo and reached the US Open quarterfinals, signaling a strong comeback while ranked 24th in the world. Despite some injury setbacks in early 2025, she remains a prominent figure in women’s tennis and a leading athlete for Japan[1][2][3][4][5].