Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Naomi Osaka is only 23 years old.
Since propelling into international superstardom after beating Serena Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open, the four-time Grand Slam champ has not only dominated her opponents on the court, but she uses her platform to address police brutality and other inequities that marginalized groups face simply for existing. We’ve rarely seen an athlete of her caliber tackle both responsibilities at such a young age; so instead of leaving us to wonder how each of those commitments have impacted her personally, the highest paid woman in sports is giving us a glimpse behind the veil.
On July 16, we’ll be treated to Naomi Osaka; a three-part Netflix documentary that “explores her cultural roots and navigates her multifaceted identity as a tennis champ and rising leader.”
“No one really knows all of the sacrifices you make just to be good,” Osaka says in the trailer. She also dismisses her fame as “ridiculous” and adds that “no one prepares you” to become one of the most dominant athletes in the world. That dedication comes at a steep price, as we’ve seen her ongoing battle with depression and anxiety lead to her recent withdrawal from the French Open in order to prioritize her mental health.
“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” she announced at the time. “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I’m often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.”
Check out the trailer for Naomi Osaka below.