A champion reflects on her roots! Naomi Osaka’s incredible prowess on the court has made her an inspiration to many tennis fans out there. But there are two motivational figures without whom fans wouldn’t have witnessed the Japanese tennis star’s amazing contribution to the sporting industry. They are none other than her own childhood idols, Serena and Venus Williams. Osaka spilled the beans on how the Williams sisters ignited her interest in the sport, a sentiment shared by many in her generation.

During an episode of Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios, Osaka revealed, “I would say that I wouldn’t have played if they haven’t played,” referring to the iconic Williams sisters. “I also think role models are a super good example. I feel like for me growing up, I have seen Serena do so many amazing things. And it kind of makes me want to do the same things as well,” Osaka further added.

She has always been vocal about her admiration for the Williams sisters on and off the court. Although she eventually beat them on the court very early in her career, for her, it only brought more respect for them. Even her first Grand Slam title was against Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open. Since then, she has played against Williams four times, winning three of those matches. She has also defeated Venus Williams for the first time in the 2017 Hong Kong Open.

From watching her idol earn 23 Grand Slams on the court to witnessing her contribution for the betterment of society through different initiatives,  Osaka has never backed away from expressing her admiration for Serena Williams. Moreover, she stressed the value of mentorship and visible representation that encourage aspiration and success among the young generation. “So I feel like there has to be people just constantly at the forefront so you can look up to them. And you can also dream to achieve the same things,” Osaka added.

Even when Serena Williams retired in 2022, the four-time Grand Slam champion revealed the profound legacy that Williams was leaving behind her. She expressed the emotional toll it took for her to say goodbye to her idol in the tennis world.

Naomi Osaka was teary eyed after the announcement of Serena Williams’ retirement

On August 9, 2022, Serena Williams declared her plan to “evolve away from tennis.” Referring to the emotions that she felt watching Williams play on-court after that announcement, Osaka, a mental health advocate, and co-founder of Hana Kuma, confessed “For some reason, I just started crying because I felt it.”

During her last match at the Australian Open in 2021 against her role model, Osaka experienced the taste of victory for the third time against Williams. Explaining that feeling, she further added, “I felt, like, when I played her in Australia, people were like, that’s the last time she’s going to be in Australia. I was like, dang, I really don’t want this to be true.”

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The insightful remarks of Naomi Osaka serve as a moving reminder of the lasting value of representation and mentorship. We might never see them playing against each other on-court again. However, Williams’ impact will always be visible through Osaka’s words and actions.