While tennis is already a pretty mainstream sport in Japan, the rise of Naomi Osaka increased its popularity further. The current world no. 4 gave the country its first two Grand Slam titles when she won the 2018 U.S. Open and the 2019 Australian Open. This gives her a huge platform in Japan, where she has now become a huge star. But will she be able to influence the youngest generation of the Japanese population to try tennis as a potential career?
Naomi Osaka wins the Pan Pacific Open
After a rocky few months, Osaka roared back with a win in the Pan Pacific Open. Held in her home country, it is her first time to clinch a title in Japan. She definitely had the home court advantage as her roots were a major media talking point throughout the tournament.
As to her influence among Japan’s youth, the country’s ladies tennis federation chairperson Yaeko Takemasa thinks that she inspired more children to take up tennis. She also helped sell more tickets and goods for the tournament.
Osaka, the Japanese phenomenon
Osaka has become such a huge sensation in the country that the media now has a term for it, Naomi Fever. When she won the U.S. Open last year, news spread that she always visited the Utsubo Tennis Center in the city of Osaka as a child. This resulted in a massive rise in tennis lessons and equipment rentals in the center.
The interest surrounding Osaka’s success in the tennis world also has a positive effect on the Japanese economic system. Within a week of her win, it is estimated that the craze surrounding the player contributed $2.68 to $3.6 billion to the economy.
Within days of her win, companies also started contacting her for endorsement deals. She has now become a partner of major brands like Nissin, Adidas and Citizen.
Asian surge
An argument can also be made that Osaka’s successful career could pave the way for other Asians to do well in the tennis Grand Slams. Countries in Europe, the Americas and Oceania typically dominate the Grand Slam calendar. In fact, the only Asian singles player to ever win a Grand Slam tournament before Osaka was China’s Na Li, who clinched the title of the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open.
Osaka is also the first person to represent an Asian country to become world no. 1, surpassing Li’s no. 2 ranking. Right now, the only other Asian ranking in the top 20 is China’s Qiang Wang, who earned a total of $2,176,963 from competitions by 2018.
Fortunately, Asian players also show improved showing in the doubles and mixed-doubles competitions. In the past decade, China, Chinese Taipei, India and Kazakhstan have all taken home Grand Slam titles in the doubles and mixed-doubles categories.
Naomi Osaka’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.4, Osaka played her last match on the 22nd of September when she defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 in the final in Osaka to win her 3rd career title.
This year the Japanese has a 33-11 win-loss record. Osaka has won 2 titles in 2019 at the Australian Open and in Osaka.
Naomi Osaka |
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