Naomi Osaka is one of the most likable characters in tennis with her great personality, coupled with fantastic results. According to Forbes, the 2-times slam champion became the highest-paid female athlete in history in 2019, beating her childhood idol Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
According to the prestigious publication, Naomi has earned $37.4 million in the last 12 months from both prize money and endorsements surpassing Serena for $1,4 million, setting an all-time record for any female athlete in a given season. That record used to belong to Maria Sharapova that earned $29.7 million back in 2015.
Credit: Forbes
Most of Naomi’s income came from extremely profitable endorsements. The former world no.1 can also rely on her unique multicultural appeal as she was raised in the US by a Japanese mother and a father from Haiti.
Naomi got endorsements from top brands such as Nissan, Citizen, Shiseido, Nissin, MasterCard, Procter & Gamble, Nike, and Sports drink BodyArmor just to name some.
Talking to Forbes, IMG’s head of tennis Max Eisenbud commented: “We were fortunate to have a very sophisticated office in Tokyo that already had the experience with Kei. The relationships in that region are important.”Â
Naomi commented: “I’m really interested in seeing a young business grow and adding value to that process. I tasked my team with finding brands that align with my personality and my interests.”
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Naomi Osaka’s ranking and performance in 2020
Currently the world no.10, Naomi played her last match on the 7th of February when she was defeated by Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0 6-3 in the Rubber 1 of the Fed Cup.
Naomi Osaka’s most significant accomplishment of the current year was reaching the semi-finals in Brisbane.
Serena Williams’s ranking and performance in 2020
Ranked world no.9, the American played her last match on the 8th of February when she capitulated to Anastasija Sevastova 7-65 3-6 7-64 in the Rubber 4 of the Fed Cup.
At present, this year Serena Williams has a 8-2 win-loss record. The American conquered 1 title in Auckland.
Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams played each other 3 times. The head to head is 2-1 for Osaka. The last time that they played, Serena Williams won 6-3 6-4 in the quarter in Toronto (Rogers Cup) in August 2019.
Here the video highlights.
Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams |
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