

Naomi Osaka, in a recently published personal essay, opened up about her life, specifically about tennis, media, and business. The 4-time Grand Slam Champion has been living her dream. There were a lot of feats that her young self wouldn’t have fathomed achieving; including being the top-ranked tennis player, a social media sensation, and managing several business endeavors simultaneously.
It was the trying moments that made Osaka define her own metric of success. So how does the former World No.1 measure her success in life?
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Naomi Osaka on how she built a name for herself, both on and off the court
In an athlete’s life, the usual parameters of success are the win-loss ratio. But according to the Japanese star, these parameters are relatively narrow in depicting success, and it should be subjective, contingent on one’s life.
After her struggle with mental health issues, the 4-time Grand Slam champion made a few adjustments in life, as she detailed in her personal essay on Porter, “From that moment, I chose to focus on surrounding myself with people who genuinely care about me and have my best interests at heart.”
In addition to this, the tennis star entered the skincare market to fill the void in the industry with Kinlò. She explained, “Starting Kinlò [a sunscreen brand for people with melanated skin] to fill a void in the market, and later forming Hana Kuma, my own production company, which shines a light on stories about women and minorities, were other steps that I view as measures of my success. Both projects spark joy in me daily. ”
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via Getty
2018 US Open Tennis Tournament- Day Thirteen. Naomi Osaka of Japan with the winners trophy and Serena Williams of the United States with the runners up trophy with Chris Evert after the Women’s Singles Final on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the 2018 US Open Tennis Tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8th, 2018 in Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
The 4-time Grand Slam champion has experienced unique success, both on and off-court. Talking about the same in her essay, she revealed, “They are truly pinch-me moments – as a little girl, I never dreamed I could play tennis and also be a CEO. Both projects have helped me shift my thinking about success; they surround me with, and expose me to, people who uplift and inspire me, and I hope I can do the same for them and others.”
Watch this story: Hilarious Meaning of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams on Urban Dictionary!
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After skipping the post-match conference at the French Open 2021, and opening up about her struggles with depression and anxiety; the Japanese tennis sensation is on the road to recovery. And certainly the tennis star has come a long way; redefining success with the support of family and friends, who have been her pillar through thin and thick. Now, she is looking to deepen her roots in the business world and expand her empire and the Grand Slam count simultaneously.
What do you think about Naomi Osaka’s journey to rediscover herself? Do let us know in the comments.
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