Interview with Naomi Osaka
Naomi talks U.S. Open and Life Beyond the Court
I recently had the opportunity to interview and walk with Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open grounds in Queens, where we talked about her journey in tennis, her off-court ventures, and her excitement for the U.S. Open. We even got glam together with Maybelline.
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Naomi started playing tennis when she was just three years old, driven by a desire to keep up with her older sister. Fast forward to 20 years old, and she’s winning her first Grand Slam—a moment that still feels surreal to her. We reminisced about her iconic 2018 U.S. Open victory against Serena Williams, someone she’s admired since childhood. Naomi shared that playing against Serena was like a dream come true, especially since she used to write school reports about her.
As Naomi got ready for the U.S. Open this year, she was fully locked into her training. She mentioned how much she loves the hardcourt season, embracing the intensity and pressure of playing on such a big stage.
Beyond tennis, Naomi is crushing it with several projects close to her heart. She’s the founder of Play Academy, a grant program that helps kids stay in school and sports. She also launched her own production company, Hanakuma, and is actively involved in designing her fashion line with Nike. Naomi is especially excited about her U.S. Open outfit lineup this year, and I am too! I'm obsessed with the brat lime green one she wore on Tuesday—the bows really took it to the next level.
During our conversation, Naomi opened up about a piece of advice she got from Kobe Bryant: “Act like a lion, don’t let the flies bother you.” It hit me hard, knowing Kobe’s no longer with us, but it’s such a powerful message, and I think young athletes especially could really hold onto that.
Naomi also opened up about her new role as a mother. She’s so happy to be taking her one-year-old daughter Shai to Japan for the first time where she’ll be watching Naomi compete for the first time as well!
It was truly inspiring to spend time with Naomi, and I’m looking forward to cheering her on in life and sport.