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BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS

At 21, Naomi Osaka is redefining what it means to be a champion: raising the bar to new heights in her relentless quest for perfection.

Naomi Osaka is her sport's biggest sensation in a decade because she knows no boundaries.

The 21-year-old's ascent to dominate world tennis is stunning — not just for her raw power and imposing on-court presence, but also for her tireless quest to prove she can cope with any and all challenges.

And those challenges have been many — off and on the court.

Osaka, who was born in Japan and grew up in New York City and Florida, has spent years learning the meaning of success as a 21st-century sports star.

As a teenager first breaking through, she described not knowing how to interact with established tennis pros on the circuit — preferring instead to listen to music and keep her own company.

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Redefining Success

As her fame grew both in the United States and Japan, Osaka had her natural humility tested by legions of supporters stopping her in the street for autographs and small talk.

She passed each of those tests: learning to relax with her rivals and finding her feet with fans.

"So, I try my best, and I know that sometimes my humor doesn't really come across,” Osaka shared in an interview with Bleacher Report in August 2018. “Sometimes people just stare at me, and I have to explain my joke. I've had that happen a lot of times, but for the most part I try to be really...not upbeat but happy."

Naomi Osaka continues to move forward, constantly seeking new tests.

Osaka has powered her way to world-number-one status through back-to-back Grand Slam victories in 2018’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open. But, rather than soaking in the adulation and enjoying the fruits of her victories, for Osaka, this newfound success and status just means the bar has been raised higher.

Now, her tests aren’t about trying to relax with rivals. It’s about going out there and beating them, time and time again.

"This is my first time playing a Grand Slam as the world number one," she said as she arrived at 2019's French Open in May.

I won the last two [Slams], so I kind of want to win this one really bad. I feel like I'm having the thought of wanting to prove myself again.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Osaka constantly wants to demonstrate she has what it takes: to be a tennis player, to play with the best, to beat the best, and — this year — to continue beating them.

Yet at the same time, she is recognizably Naomi Osaka in everything she does: shy TV interviews, picking up her own empty water bottles at events, and refusing to believe her own hype.

In 2018, she defined the strength of her character — and won worldwide praise — with the immense grace with which she handled the aftermath of defeating her idol, Serena Williams, to win the US Open title.

Osaka finds it awkward to talk about herself, but she can talk forever about Williams, the legendary 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.

If I can even come close to being as great as Serena, I’ll be very happy.

But others can see much more than that humble assessment in her game.

"I think she is probably the most impressive player I've seen since Serena," says Pat Cash, the Wimbledon champion turned leading tennis commentator.

She has the ability to dominate tennis like Serena.

- Pat Cash

When Osaka followed her US Open title with victory at the Australian Open to start 2019, Cash marvelled at the 21-year-old's "movement, her shot-making ability, her physicality."

"Not only would she go for her shots," he said, "but there was no fear. It didn't look like she got nervous."

Even before Osaka’s two Grand Slam titles, the great Williams herself was paying attention.

In 2016, before many people had even heard Osaka's name, Williams was calling her an "aggressive, dangerous" opponent.

At last year's US Open, Osaka repaid that compliment by proving its accuracy: she served, moved, and returned with a staggering dominance even Williams could not match.

How did she do it? She conquered her nerves.

Osaka's rugged, tenacious consistency is all her opponents see during big matches. That attitude is what impresses analysts and worries rivals.

A League of Her Own

"If she wants 10 Grand Slams? Easy to win," said Chinese tennis great Li Na, when asked to evaluate Osaka's impressive rise. Bear in mind: only seven women have won 10 Grand Slam titles or more.

"She is pretty strong, and also, for her age, she has a lot of experience on the court," said Li. "She knows what she has to do, she is smart.”

I like that she has a poker face. It doesn't matter what happened on the court — she has the same face.

- Li Na

Not only that, she's still working every bit as hard as her first day on the world tour. Perfectionism, dedication, and that steely on-court approach create a formidable force for her opponents.

Only after the win — when the moment is right — does Osaka let her feelings out.

"It felt like a dream," says Osaka, reminiscing on winning the US Open against her hero.

Emotionally, I was all over the place. She said she was proud of me, and from there I just started crying. It meant a lot.

By the next day, though, all it meant to Osaka was another checkmark on that big list of challenges to overcome.

"Back-to-back grand slams... it's something that usually never happens," Williams' coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, said after Osaka's Australian Open win.

But Cash can understand exactly how that happened and won't be surprised if it keeps happening.

"I wouldn't write her off for anything," he declared after her Australian Open triumph.

I just can't see anybody who can stop her.

- Pat Cash

INSPIRATION OF JAPAN

Naomi Osaka’s personal determination to be excellent at her sport, combined with her captivating journey so far, inspires and excites Japanese carrier ANA. They announced Osaka as a global ambassador in April 2019.

“Osaka continues to push herself to be the best,” said Yuji Hirako, President and CEO of ANA in a statement to the media. “In addition, her professionalism, and strong philanthropic efforts mean she will be a perfect ambassador to represent ANA to the world."

ANA’s Inspiration of Japan brand campaign revolves around three aspects of their customer experience: Sparkling, Caring, Japanese Quality. ANA believes in delivering these qualities for each and every individual passenger, just as Naomi puts her best for every point in the match.

"When I play my match, everything else is not in my mind anymore,” she says. “I don’t ever want to waste this opportunity.”

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