{"id":18783,"date":"2021-01-28T19:55:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T01:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=18783"},"modified":"2021-01-28T19:55:40","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T01:55:40","slug":"three-time-grand-slam-champion-naomi-osaka-invests-in-north-carolina-courage-womens-professional-soccer-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=18783","title":{"rendered":"Three-Time Grand Slam Champion Naomi Osaka Invests in North Carolina Courage Women\u2019s Professional Soccer Team"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"precontent\" data-region=\"precontent\" data-id=\"40\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:40,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;precontent&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:6}\">\n<header class=\"collection-headline-flex\" role=\"presentation\">\n<h1>Naomi Osaka now owns an NWSL team, and growing interest in women&#8217;s sports prompted her investment<\/h1>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"maincontent\">\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"content\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<article class=\"articlecontent allowvig loaded\" data-id=\"53\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:53,&quot;p&quot;:50,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;article&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:6,&quot;o&quot;:3}\" data-nativead-placements=\"article_aside:3;singlecard1:1;singlecard2:1;singlecard3:1;singlecard4:1;singlecard5:1;singlecard6:1;singlecard7:1;singlecard8:1;singlecard9:1;singlecard10:1;singlecard11:1;\">\n<section class=\"flexarticle\" data-id=\"61\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:61,&quot;p&quot;:53,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;flexarticle&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:6,&quot;o&quot;:3}\">\n<section class=\"articlebody \" data-id=\"62\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:62,&quot;p&quot;:61,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;articlebody&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:6,&quot;o&quot;:1}\"><span class=\"storyimage fullwidth inlineimage\" data-aop=\"image\"><span class=\"image\" data-attrib=\"Provided by INSIDER\" data-caption=\"Naomi Osaka. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports\" data-id=\"63\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:63,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;openModal&quot;,&quot;t&quot;:&quot;articleImages&quot;,&quot;o&quot;:1}\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbpHv.img?h=599&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1571&amp;y=345\" alt=\"Naomi Osaka wearing a purple hat with a racket: Naomi Osaka. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports\" data-src=\"{&quot;default&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;60&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbpHv.img?h=599&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1571&amp;y=345&quot;},&quot;size3column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbpHv.img?h=468&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1571&amp;y=345&quot;},&quot;size2column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbpHv.img?h=468&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1571&amp;y=345&quot;}}\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"summary-list\">\n<li><strong>Naomi Osaka is now the proud owner of a professional sports franchise.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The 23-year-old invested in the North Carolina Courage, an NWSL team, and cited her interest in promoting women&#8217;s sports as her motivation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Osaka and the club evidently share a winning mentality<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Naomi Osaka has garnered an array of accolades &#8211; three-time Grand Slam champion, last year&#8217;s highest paid female athlete on the planet, and social and racial justice advocate among them &#8211; that would be absolutely astounding even for someone twice her age.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And now, the 23-year-old can add professional sports franchise owner to the list.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"storyimage fullwidth inlineimage\" data-aop=\"image\"><span class=\"image\" data-attrib=\"AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein\" data-caption=\"Naomi Osaka. AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein\" data-id=\"64\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:64,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;openModal&quot;,&quot;t&quot;:&quot;articleImages&quot;,&quot;o&quot;:2}\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbb64.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1086&amp;y=1157\" alt=\"a close up of Naomi Osaka holding a racket: Naomi Osaka. AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein\" data-src=\"{&quot;default&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;60&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbb64.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1086&amp;y=1157&quot;},&quot;size3column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbb64.img?h=468&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1086&amp;y=1157&quot;},&quot;size2column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbb64.img?h=468&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1086&amp;y=1157&quot;}}\" \/><\/span><\/span>The tennis superstar announced Thursday that she is the newest owner of the North Carolina Courage &#8211; the National Women&#8217;s Soccer League club that has won three shields and two championships in the four years since its founding. Osaka cited the growing interest in women&#8217;s sports and inspiring young girls as the impetus for her investment in the team, which features both US Women&#8217;s National Team players and international stars on its roster.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;The women who have invested in me growing up made me who I am today and I cannot think of where my life would be without them,&#8221; Osaka said, per a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nccourage.com\/news_article\/show\/1142751\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-id=\"92\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:92,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;partnerLink&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:24,&quot;o&quot;:9}\">release from the franchis<\/a>e. &#8220;My investment in the North Carolina Courage is far beyond just being a team owner, it&#8217;s an investment in amazing women who are role models and leaders in their fields and inspirations to all young female athletes.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"storyimage fullwidth inlineimage\" data-aop=\"image\"><span class=\"image\" data-attrib=\"Seth Wenig\/AP\" data-caption=\"Naomi Osaka wears a mask with the name of police brutality victim Philando Castile during the 2020 US Open. Seth Wenig\/AP\" data-id=\"65\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:65,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;openModal&quot;,&quot;t&quot;:&quot;articleImages&quot;,&quot;o&quot;:3}\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3o.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f\" alt=\"a woman holding a baseball bat: Naomi Osaka wears a mask with the name of police brutality victim Philando Castile during the 2020 US Open. Seth Wenig\/AP\" data-src=\"{&quot;default&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;60&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3o.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&quot;},&quot;size3column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3o.img?h=469&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&quot;},&quot;size2column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3o.img?h=469&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&quot;}}\" \/><\/span><\/span>&#8220;I also admire everything the Courage does for diversity and equality in the community,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Which I greatly look forward to supporting and driving forward.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>While Osaka and the club evidently share a winning mentality, both parties also boast a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/naomi-osaka-tennis-photos-show-meteoric-rise-grand-slam-champion-2020-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-id=\"93\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:93,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;partnerLink&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:24,&quot;o&quot;:10}\">public commitment to fighting injustice<\/a>. Osaka made waves last fall as she used her platform to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/video-naomi-osaka-thanked-by-trayvon-martin-ahmaud-arbery-families-2020-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-id=\"94\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:94,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;partnerLink&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:24,&quot;o&quot;:11}\">honor victims of police brutality<\/a> throughout her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/naomi-osaka-wears-breonna-taylor-mask-during-us-open-2020-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-id=\"95\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:95,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;partnerLink&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:24,&quot;o&quot;:12}\">historic 2020 US Open championship run<\/a>. Likewise, her recently-acquired team was among the first in American professional sports to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/nwsl-players-kneel-national-anthem-wear-black-lives-matter-shirts-2020-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-id=\"96\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:96,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;partnerLink&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:24,&quot;o&quot;:13}\">kneel during the national anthem<\/a>, and players within the franchise are leaders in the league&#8217;s newly-formed Black Women&#8217;s Player Collective.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"storyimage fullwidth inlineimage\" data-aop=\"image\"><span class=\"image\" data-attrib=\"Bryan Byerly\/ISI Photos\/Getty Images\" data-caption=\"Players for the North Carolina Courage kneel ahead of a 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup game. Bryan Byerly\/ISI Photos\/Getty Images\" data-id=\"66\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:66,&quot;p&quot;:62,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;openModal&quot;,&quot;t&quot;:&quot;articleImages&quot;,&quot;o&quot;:4}\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3v.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1044&amp;y=268\" alt=\"a group of people standing in front of a crowd posing for the camera: Players for the North Carolina Courage kneel ahead of a 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup game. Bryan Byerly\/ISI Photos\/Getty Images\" data-src=\"{&quot;default&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;60&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3v.img?h=600&amp;w=799&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1044&amp;y=268&quot;},&quot;size3column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3v.img?h=469&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1044&amp;y=268&quot;},&quot;size2column&quot;:{&quot;load&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;w&quot;:&quot;62&quot;,&quot;h&quot;:&quot;47&quot;,&quot;src&quot;:&quot;\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1dbo3v.img?h=469&amp;w=624&amp;m=6&amp;q=60&amp;o=f&amp;l=f&amp;x=1044&amp;y=268&quot;}}\" \/><\/span><\/span>After the initial announcement, the Courage released a video featuring highlights of North Carolina players and the tennis star herself that expresses their joint dedication to winning and societal betterment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;We have raised cups, trophies, and shields,&#8221; the video says. &#8220;We have fought like hell and learned from defeat. We take action for what&#8217;s important, and sometimes kneel in defiance. We are diverse talent from all over the globe with a universal message of empowerment.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Welcome, Naomi Osaka. Courage unites us.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-18786\" src=\"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-233x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"233\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-233x300.png 233w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-795x1024.png 795w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-768x989.png 768w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-1193x1536.png 1193w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-1080x1391.png 1080w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC-400x516.png 400w, https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/CC.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\"><strong>WHO IS THE North Carolina Courage:<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><strong>The North Carolina Courage is a professional women&#8217;s <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Soccer\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Soccer\">soccer<\/a> team based in <a title=\"Cary, North Carolina\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cary,_North_Carolina\">Cary, North Carolina<\/a>. It was founded in 2017 after <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Stephen Malik\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stephen_Malik\">Stephen Malik<\/a> acquired <a title=\"National Women's Soccer League\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/National_Women%27s_Soccer_League\">National Women&#8217;s Soccer League<\/a> (NWSL) franchise rights from <a title=\"Western New York Flash\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_New_York_Flash\">Western New York Flash<\/a>. The Courage is affiliated with the men&#8217;s team <a title=\"North Carolina FC\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/North_Carolina_FC\">North Carolina FC<\/a> of the <a title=\"United Soccer League\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Soccer_League\">United Soccer League<\/a> and plays its home games at the <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Sahlen\u2019s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sahlen%E2%80%99s_Stadium_at_WakeMed_Soccer_Park\">Sahlen\u2019s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In 2018, the Courage became the first team in NWSL history to win the Shield and the Championship in the same season. In 2019, the team became the first team to win the Championship on its home field.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The North Carolina Courage relocated to Cary, NC in 2017 from Western New York. The team played the Washington Spirit for their first match and defeated the team 1\u20130 with a goal by <a title=\"McCall Zerboni\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/McCall_Zerboni\">McCall Zerboni<\/a>. The Courage went on to win the 2017 NWSL Shield and advanced to the 2017 NWSL Championship after defeating the Chicago Red Stars 1\u20130 in the NWSL Semifinal. The team fell 1\u20130 to the Portland Thorns in the 2017 NWSL Championship.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In 2018, the Courage had the best season in NWSL history, losing just one of 26 games played during the season. The Courage also participated in and won first place in the inaugural Women&#8217;s International Champions Cup. <a title=\"Heather O'Reilly\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heather_O%27Reilly\">Heather O&#8217;Reilly<\/a> scored the only goal in the defeat over Olympique Lyon. After clinching the NWSL Shield, the team defeated the Portland Thorns in the 2018 NWSL Championship 3\u20130. <a title=\"Jessica McDonald\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jessica_McDonald\">Jessica McDonald<\/a> was named the NWSL Championship MVP after scoring two goals in the match.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Courage were crowned NWSL Champions for the second consecutive season after defeating the Chicago Red Stars, 4\u20130 in the 2019 NWSL Championship held in Cary, North Carolina. <a title=\"Debinha\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Debinha\">Debinha<\/a> was named the NWSL Championship MVP after scoring the fastest goal in NWSL Championship history. The team clinched the NWSL Shield for the third time in as many years on Saturday, September 21 after defeating Utah Royals FC. The team had an overall record of 15W-4D-5L.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong><span id=\"Team_name,_crest,_and_colors\" class=\"mw-headline\">Team name, crest, and colors<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>The team&#8217;s name is a nod to the original <a title=\"Carolina Courage\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Carolina_Courage\">Carolina Courage<\/a> \u2013 who won the 2002 <a title=\"Women's United Soccer Association\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women%27s_United_Soccer_Association\">Women&#8217;s United Soccer Association<\/a> (WUSA) Founders Cup \u2013 as is the stylized lioness image, which matches the head of the lioness on the WUSA team&#8217;s badge with very minor alterations. The badge features elements from the <a title=\"Flag of North Carolina\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Flag_of_North_Carolina\">flag of North Carolina<\/a> with both the star and the color scheme, the latter keeping in line with the NCFC brand. The lower right point of the star represents the <a title=\"Research Triangle\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Research_Triangle\">Research Triangle<\/a>, a geographical region that includes <a title=\"Chapel Hill, North Carolina\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chapel_Hill,_North_Carolina\">Chapel Hill<\/a>, <a title=\"Durham, North Carolina\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Durham,_North_Carolina\">Durham<\/a>, and <a title=\"Raleigh, North Carolina\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Raleigh,_North_Carolina\">Raleigh<\/a>. The Courage&#8217;s primary colors include &#8220;Atlantic blue&#8221;, &#8220;cardinal red,&#8221; and &#8220;Southern gold.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h1 id=\"firstHeading\" class=\"firstHeading\" lang=\"en\">WHO IS Naomi Osaka:<\/h1>\n<\/section>\n<p>Naomi Osaka (<span lang=\"ja\" title=\"Japanese-language text\">\u5927\u5742 \u306a\u304a\u307f<\/span>, <i lang=\"ja-Latn\" title=\"Hepburn transliteration\">\u014csaka Naomi<span class=\"noitalic\">, <small>Japanese pronunciation:\u00a0<\/small><span class=\"IPA\" title=\"Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)\"><a title=\"Help:IPA\/Japanese\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:IPA\/Japanese\">[o\u031e\u02d0s\u00e4k\u00e4 n\u00e4o\u031emi]<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/i>, born October 16, 1997) is a Japanese professional <a title=\"Tennis\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tennis\">tennis<\/a> player. Osaka has been <a title=\"List of WTA number 1 ranked tennis players\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_WTA_number_1_ranked_tennis_players\">ranked No. 1<\/a> by the <a title=\"Women's Tennis Association\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women%27s_Tennis_Association\">Women&#8217;s Tennis Association<\/a> (WTA), and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles. She is a three-time <a title=\"Grand Slam (tennis)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Grand_Slam_(tennis)\">Grand Slam<\/a> singles champion, and is the reigning champion at the <a title=\"2020 US Open (tennis)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2020_US_Open_(tennis)\">US Open<\/a>. Her six WTA titles on the WTA Tour also include two at the Premier Mandatory level. At the <a title=\"2018 US Open (tennis)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2018_US_Open_(tennis)\">2018 US Open<\/a> and the <a title=\"2019 Australian Open\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2019_Australian_Open\">2019 Australian Open<\/a>, Osaka won her first two Grand Slam singles titles in back-to-back Grand Slam tournaments, and is the first player to achieve this feat since <a title=\"Jennifer Capriati\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jennifer_Capriati\">Jennifer Capriati<\/a> in 2001.<\/p>\n<p>Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka has lived and trained in the United States since she was three years old. She came to prominence at the age of sixteen when she defeated former US Open champion <a title=\"Samantha Stosur\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Samantha_Stosur\">Samantha Stosur<\/a> in her WTA Tour debut at the <a title=\"2014 Bank of the West Classic\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2014_Bank_of_the_West_Classic\">2014 Stanford Classic<\/a>. Two years later, she reached her first WTA final at the <a title=\"2016 Toray Pan Pacific Open\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2016_Toray_Pan_Pacific_Open\">2016 Pan Pacific Open<\/a> in Japan to enter the top 50 of the WTA rankings. Osaka made her breakthrough into the upper echelon of women&#8217;s tennis in 2018 when she won her first WTA title at the <a title=\"2018 BNP Paribas Open\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2018_BNP_Paribas_Open\">Indian Wells Open<\/a>. Later in the year, she defeated 23-time Grand Slam singles champion <a title=\"Serena Williams\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Serena_Williams\">Serena Williams<\/a> in the <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"2018 US Open \u2013 Women's Singles final\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2018_US_Open_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_Singles_final\">final<\/a> of the <a title=\"2018 US Open (tennis)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2018_US_Open_(tennis)\">US Open<\/a> to become the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title. From 2018 through 2020, she won a Grand Slam singles title in three consecutive years.<\/p>\n<p>Osaka is one of the most marketable athletes in the world, having been ranked eighth among all athletes in endorsement income in 2020. She was also the highest-earning female athlete of all time by annual income that year. Osaka has gained significant recognition as an activist, having showcased support for the <a title=\"Black Lives Matter\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Black_Lives_Matter\">Black Lives Matter<\/a> movement in conjunction with her matches. She was named one of the 2020 <a title=\"Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sports_Illustrated_Sportsperson_of_the_Year\">Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year<\/a> for her activism largely as part of her US Open championship run, and was also included on <a title=\"Time (magazine)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Time_(magazine)\"><i>Time<\/i><\/a>&#8216;s annual list of the <a title=\"Time 100\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Time_100\">100 most influential people in the world<\/a> in both 2019 and 2020. On the court, Osaka has an aggressive playing style with a powerful <a title=\"Serve (tennis)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Serve_(tennis)\">serve<\/a> that can reach 201 kilometres per hour (125\u00a0mph).<\/p>\n<section class=\"articlebody \" data-id=\"62\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:62,&quot;p&quot;:61,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;articlebody&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:6,&quot;o&quot;:1}\">\u00a0<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"sameoab_ad_container loaded\" data-nativead-2call-placements=\"post-article:2\" data-nativead-postarticle-count=\"2\" data-id=\"108\" data-m=\"{&quot;i&quot;:108,&quot;p&quot;:50,&quot;n&quot;:&quot;sameoab_ad&quot;,&quot;y&quot;:8,&quot;o&quot;:4}\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"normalsection\" role=\"region\" data-section-id=\"oneriversection\">\n<div class=\"full-width\">\n<div class=\"sectioncontent\" data-region=\"oneriversection_section\">\n<div id=\"oneriverajax\" class=\"show\" data-first-page-ajax-url=\"\/en-us\/sports\/oneriverajax?xd-name=ArticlePageOneRiver&amp;startIndex=0&amp;count=25&amp;contentId=BB1dbb6t&amp;page-mode=Normal&amp;pageIndex=0&amp;pvid=ce4383df4a95432bb655ddec2bd23193&amp;rnd-mode=Flexible\" data-service-page-data=\"{&quot;cc&quot;:25,&quot;pci&quot;:&quot;BB1dbb6t&quot;,&quot;pageMode&quot;:&quot;Normal&quot;,&quot;excl&quot;:[],&quot;exclcss&quot;:[],&quot;excljs&quot;:[],&quot;rcc&quot;:0,&quot;p&quot;:0}\" data-dist-first-page=\"2000\">\n<div class=\"oneriverpage\" data-js=\"\/\/static-entertainment-eus-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/en-us\/Sports\/_sc\/js\/d7cb56b9-ce16e029\/direction=ltr.locales=generic-generic.themes=start.dpi=resolution1x\/3a-8de95c-892ace9\/e6-c1f020-68ddb2ab\/ac-376157-7b239fa0\/a1-bf731c-68ddb2ab?ver=20210126_30853430&amp;fdhead=msnallexpusers,rrriver,prg-l2-detail,muidflt26cf,muidflt57cf,muidflt258cf,muidflt261cf,tdtomi30,bingcollabhp3cf,audexhz3cf,creativeblockosc,moneyhz2cf,tokenblockholdc,artgly1cf,cicdmsnexpeas,1s-local-t,1s-bing-news,vebudumu04302020,revc-spar-us,revc-view-us,revc-hp-us,bbh20200521msncf,strsl-spar-no,prg-halfads,shopstripe,crbid,prong1aat,1s-remotes2scl,prime-l2-index,preprime-fi-wlist,prg-gitconfigs-t11&amp;csopd=20201118012147&amp;csopdb=20210105192608\" data-css=\"\/\/static-entertainment-eus-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/en-us\/Sports\/_sc\/css\/d7cb56b9-5340ab39\/direction=ltr.locales=generic-generic.themes=start.dpi=resolution1x\/5e-713ade-ecdc80c3\/90-708ce2-ebb81256\/21-bfe819-df02ef6a\/d7-b9fc60-ae503b62\/f3-b247d4-5de3d677?ver=20210126_30853430&amp;fdhead=msnallexpusers,rrriver,prg-l2-detail,muidflt26cf,muidflt57cf,muidflt258cf,muidflt261cf,tdtomi30,bingcollabhp3cf,audexhz3cf,creativeblockosc,moneyhz2cf,tokenblockholdc,artgly1cf,cicdmsnexpeas,1s-local-t,1s-bing-news,vebudumu04302020,revc-spar-us,revc-view-us,revc-hp-us,bbh20200521msncf,strsl-spar-no,prg-halfads,shopstripe,crbid,prong1aat,1s-remotes2scl,prime-l2-index,preprime-fi-wlist,prg-gitconfigs-t11&amp;csopd=20201118012147&amp;csopdb=20210105192608\" data-ajax-xd-id=\"AAtEZ2j\">\n<div class=\"normalsection show\" role=\"region\" data-section-id=\"oneriver.main\">\n<div class=\"full-width\">\n<div class=\"sectioncontent\" data-region=\"oneriver.main_section\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Naomi Osaka now owns an NWSL team, and growing interest in women&#8217;s sports prompted her investment &nbsp; Naomi Osaka is now the proud owner of a professional sports franchise. The 23-year-old invested in the North Carolina Courage, an NWSL team, and cited her interest in promoting women&#8217;s sports as her motivation. Osaka and the club [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2405,11,8,1314,1456,1156,13,14,1,7,17,9,10],"tags":[2601,3483,2644,3480,3477,3482,3479,3478,3481,3476],"class_list":["post-18783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-business","category-entertainment","category-global-business-entrepreneurs","category-global-news-updates-and-more","category-global-sports","category-health","category-most-commented","category-news","category-sports","category-tennis","category-us","category-world","tag-naomi_osaka_","tag-2017-grand-slam-doubles-results-australian-open-1r-2017-french-open-2r-2016-wimbledon-1r-2017-us-open-1r-2016-team-competitions-fed-cup-wg-ii-po-2018-hopman-cup-rr-2018","tag-2644","tag-2018-us-open-w-2018","tag-2019-current-ranking-no-3-september-21","tag-2019-doubles-career-record-2-14-12-5-career-titles-0-highest-ranking-no-324-april-3","tag-2019-wimbledon-3r-2017","tag-2020-grand-slam-singles-results-australian-open-w-2019-french-open-3r-2016","tag-2020-other-tournaments-tour-finals-rr-2018","tag-singles-career-record-233-133-63-7-career-titles-6-highest-ranking-no-1-january-28","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}