Naomi Osaka’s legacy is secure — even after Australian Open first-round loss
nypost.com“Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice” (Dutton), it felt great. “I count it as my best victory ever,” she says.
When Naomi finally bested Mari, wiping “that obnoxious grin off her face”, it became Osaka’s “inflection point.” “Losing to Mari shaped my competitiveness,” she adds. “Growing up, we both pushed each other; she pushed me more than I pushed her, because I kept losing.” Born in Osaka, Japan, to a Haitian-American father and Japanese mother, Naomi Osaka has lived in the US since she was 3.
Inspired by Richard Williams, who taught daughters Venus and Serena to play tennis, Naomi’s father, Leonard, followed suit with her and Mari.A decade later, Osaka has become known both for her four Grand Slam titles — along with high-profile episodes of anxiety and depression.In May 2021, she retired from the French Open, withdrew from Wimbledon, and, as reigning champion, bowed out early from the US Open.
Citing mental health struggles, she called time on her season. “I just had this dark cloud over me . . . and I couldn’t do anything about it,” she tells Rothenberg.Her decision to quit drew criticism – but it was nothing new.
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