Naomi Osaka has always embraced her multicultural background. Osaka’s father, Leonard Maxime Francois, is originally from Haiti, but he immigrated to Japan where he met and married his wife, Tamaki Osaka. The family moved to the United States when she was three years old, and she grew up in New York with her father’s family. The three-time Grand Slam champion decided to represent her mother’s home country in international tennis tournaments, but she is still proud of her Haitian origins.
Osaka recently posed in a traditional Haitian dress in her latest Instagram pictures
In her latest Instagram post, Naomi posed in a beautifully designed Haitian outfit. The 23-year-old looked stunning in the multicolored dress, and she completed the look with a yellow headscarf and a pair of gold earrings. Osaka’s Instagram followers were impressed with her outfit, and it is clear that she is proud of her Haitian roots. Last year, the current world no.3 traveled to her father’s homeland for a five-day tour, and she has admitted that the reception she received when she arrived in Haiti took her by surprise.
The 23-year-old tennis star received a hero’s welcome during her visit to Haiti last year
The country’s president, Jovenel Moise, was at the airport to welcome Osaka, and she was treated like a head of state throughout her stay. Hundreds of citizens attended a welcome parade that was organized to honor the former Australian Open winner, and she agreed to act as the country’s goodwill ambassador for the promotion of Haitian Sports. The 23-year-old was also handed the key to Jacmel, her father’s hometown. In a reciprocal gesture, Osaka donated the sports shoes and tennis racket she used at the 2018 US Open where she defeated Serena Williams to win her first major title. Naomi later visited the IOA Center, a school that her parents built 21 years ago, and which continues to receive financial support from the Osaka family.
After visiting her father’s homeland, Osaka claimed that the experience had given her a different perspective on how she would approach her life. The current world number three pointed out that a large number of citizens in Haiti lived under difficult conditions, and seeing their perseverance had made her more grateful for the privileges she had received in her life. The 23-year-old admitted that her visit to her father’s home country had also given her renewed focus on the tennis court. The Japanese has won over fans as well as commercial sponsors because of her rich cultural background. Many people in Japan, Haiti, and the United States identify with her experiences, and she has never been afraid to speak her mind and champion social justice initiatives such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Osaka is currently enjoying the tennis offseason, but fans are looking forward to seeing her return to the tennis court next year.
Naomi Osaka in 2020
Now the world no.3, the Japanese played her last match on the 12th of September when she overcame Victoria Azarenka 1-6 6-3 6-3 in the final of the U.S. Open to win her 6th career title.
This year Naomi has 16-3 match record. Naomi conquered 1 title at the U.S. Open. Naomi was the runner-up in New York.