Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

Naomi Osaka was born on October 16, 1997, in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan. Her
father is Leonard Francois from Haiti, and her mother is Tamaki Osaka from
Japan. When Naomi was three years old, her family moved to the United States
to live in New York. Later, they moved to Florida where Naomi started playing
tennis seriously.

Naomi's tennis journey began when she was very young. Her father decided to
coach both Naomi and her older sister Mari after watching the Williams sisters
play tennis on television. The family did not have much money, so they
practiced on public courts. Naomi's father believed that his daughters could
become professional tennis players with hard work and dedication.

In 2013, when Naomi was 16 years old, she became a professional tennis
player. She started playing in small tournaments around the world. Her first big
success came in 2016 when she reached the third round at the French Open.
This was an important moment because it showed that she could compete
against the best players in the world.

The year 2018 became a turning point in Naomi's career. She won her first
Grand Slam title at the US Open by defeating Serena Williams in the final
match. This victory made her famous around the world. However, the match
was controversial because Serena Williams received penalties from the umpire,
and many fans were upset. Despite the controversy, Naomi showed great
maturity and respect during the trophy ceremony.

After winning the US Open, Naomi's confidence grew stronger. In 2019, she
won her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. This victory was
special because she defeated Petra Kvitova in the final after being behind in the
match. The win also made her the world number one player for the first time in
her career. She became the first Asian player to reach the number one ranking
in tennis history.

Naomi's success continued as she represented Japan in international

competitions. Although she was born in Japan and lived in the United States,
she chose to represent Japan in tournaments. This decision made many
Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

Japanese people very proud of her achievements. In 2021, she had the honor
of lighting the Olympic flame at the Tokyo Olympics, which was held in her
birth country.

However, Naomi's career has not been without challenges. She has been open
about her struggles with mental health and anxiety. In 2021, she withdrew
from the French Open because she did not want to participate in press
conferences, which made her feel anxious. This decision started important
conversations about mental health in sports. Many people supported her
decision to prioritize her well-being over tennis competitions.

Throughout her career, Naomi has used her platform to speak about social
justice issues. She has supported the Black Lives Matter movement and has
worn masks with names of victims of racial violence during tournaments. Her
activism has inspired many young athletes to use their voices for positive
change in society.

Naomi's playing style is known for her powerful forehand and strong serve. She
is particularly good at playing on hard courts, where she has won most of her
titles. Her aggressive style of play and mental toughness have made her one of
the most feared opponents on the tennis court.

Today, Naomi Osaka continues to be one of the top players in women's tennis.
She has won four Grand Slam titles in total and has earned millions of dollars in
prize money and endorsements. Her journey from a young girl practicing on
public courts to becoming a world champion shows that dreams can come true
with hard work, determination, and family support.

Naomi's story inspires many young people, especially those from mixed cultural
backgrounds, to pursue their dreams. She has proven that it is possible to
honor multiple cultures and represent a country with pride. Her impact on
tennis and society will be remembered for many years to come.
Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When was Naomi Osaka born? 8. How old was Naomi when she became
a) October 15, 1997 a professional tennis player?
b) October 16, 1997 a) 15 years old
c) October 17, 1997 b) 16 years old
d) October 18, 1997 c) 17 years old
d) 18 years old
2. Where was Naomi Osaka born?
a) Tokyo, Japan 9. In which year did Naomi first reach the
b) Kyoto, Japan third round at the French Open?
c) Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan a) 2015
d) Yokohama, Japan b) 2016
c) 2017
3. What is Naomi's father's name? d) 2018
a) Leonard Francois
b) Leonard Francis 10. What was Naomi's first Grand Slam
c) Leo Francois title?
d) Leon Francois a) Australian Open
b) French Open
4. What country is Naomi's father from? c) Wimbledon
a) Jamaica d) US Open
b) Haiti
c) Cuba 11. Who did Naomi defeat in the US Open
d) Dominican Republic final to win her first Grand Slam?
a) Serena Williams
5. How old was Naomi when her family b) Venus Williams
moved to the United States? c) Maria Sharapova
a) Two years old d) Simona Halep
b) Three years old
c) Four years old 12. In what year did Naomi win the US
d) Five years old Open?
a) 2017
6. What is the name of Naomi's older b) 2018
sister? c) 2019
a) Maria d) 2020
b) Mari
c) Marie 13. What Grand Slam did Naomi win in
d) Mika 2019?
a) US Open
7. In what year did Naomi become a b) French Open
professional tennis player? c) Wimbledon
a) 2012 d) Australian Open
b) 2013
c) 2014
d) 2015
Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

14. Who did Naomi defeat in the d) She became the first Japanese world
Australian Open final in 2019? number one
a) Simona Halep
b) Petra Kvitova 20. What special honor did Naomi have at
c) Angelique Kerber the 2021 Tokyo Olympics?
d) Caroline Wozniacki a) She won a gold medal
b) She carried the Japanese flag
15. How many Grand Slam titles has c) She lit the Olympic flame
Naomi won in total? d) She gave the opening speech
a) Three
b) Four 21. Why did Naomi withdraw from the
c) Five French Open in 2021?
d) Six a) She was injured
b) She did not want to participate in
Medium Questions (10 questions) press conferences
c) She was not prepared for the
16. What inspired Naomi's father to coach tournament
his daughters in tennis? d) She had family problems
a) He was a former tennis player
b) He watched a tennis documentary 22. What movement has Naomi supported
c) He watched the Williams sisters play through her activism?
tennis on television a) Environmental protection
d) He read about tennis in magazines b) Animal rights
c) Black Lives Matter movement
17. Why did Naomi's family practice on d) Women's rights
public courts?
a) Public courts were better quality 23. How did Naomi show her support for
b) They lived near public courts social justice during tournaments?
c) The family did not have much money a) She gave speeches before matches
d) Private courts were always busy b) She wore masks with names of
victims of racial violence
18. What made Naomi's US Open victory c) She donated her prize money
controversial? d) She refused to play certain matches
a) The match was too long
b) Serena Williams received penalties 24. What type of courts is Naomi
from the umpire particularly good at playing on?
c) The weather was bad a) Clay courts
d) There were technical problems b) Grass courts
c) Hard courts
19. What significant ranking achievement d) Indoor courts
did Naomi accomplish after winning the
Australian Open in 2019? 25. What are the main characteristics of
a) She became world number two Naomi's playing style?
b) She became the youngest world a) Defensive play and good volleys
number one b) Powerful forehand and strong serve
c) She became the first Asian player to c) Fast movement and drop shots
reach world number one d) Consistent baseline play and
patience
Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

Analysis Questions (5 questions) b) Mental health is not important in

sports
26. Based on the text, what can we c) It started important conversations
conclude about the role of family support about prioritizing well-being over
in Naomi's success? competition in sports
a) Family support was not important d) Only weak athletes have mental
because she had natural talent health issues
b) Her father's decision to coach both
daughters and practice despite financial 29. How does Naomi's journey from
limitations shows family support was practicing on public courts to becoming
crucial to her development world champion illustrate the concept of
c) Only her mother supported her tennis achieving dreams?
career a) Success only comes to those born
d) She succeeded despite lack of family with advantages
support b) Hard work alone guarantees success
c) Dreams can come true with hard
27. How did Naomi's decision to represent work, determination, and family support
Japan rather than the United States combined
demonstrate her cultural identity? d) Success in sports is mostly about
a) It showed she rejected her American luck
upbringing completely
b) It proved she only cared about 30. What does Naomi's use of her
Japanese culture platform for social justice activism reveal
c) It demonstrated her ability to honor about the responsibilities of successful
multiple cultures while choosing to athletes?
represent her birth country with pride a) Athletes should only focus on their
d) It was only a business decision for sport
more sponsorships b) Successful athletes should avoid
controversial topics
28. What does Naomi's openness about c) Athletes can inspire positive change
mental health struggles suggest about by using their voices and influence for
modern athletics? important social issues
a) Athletes should hide their personal d) Activism always hurts an athlete's
problems career
Naomi Osaka: A Tennis Champion's Journey

## Answer Key

**Easy Questions:**
1. b) October 16, 1997
2. c) Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan
3. a) Leonard Francois
4. b) Haiti
5. b) Three years old
6. b) Mari
7. b) 2013
8. b) 16 years old
9. b) 2016
10. d) US Open
11. a) Serena Williams
12. b) 2018
13. d) Australian Open
14. b) Petra Kvitova
15. b) Four

**Medium Questions:**
16. c) He watched the Williams sisters play tennis on television
17. c) The family did not have much money
18. b) Serena Williams received penalties from the umpire
19. c) She became the first Asian player to reach world number one
20. c) She lit the Olympic flame
21. b) She did not want to participate in press conferences
22. c) Black Lives Matter movement
23. b) She wore masks with names of victims of racial violence
24. c) Hard courts
25. b) Powerful forehand and strong serve

**Analysis Questions:**
26. b) Her father's decision to coach both daughters and practice despite financial limitations
shows family support was crucial to her development
27. c) It demonstrated her ability to honor multiple cultures while choosing to represent her
birth country with pride
28. c) It started important conversations about prioritizing well-being over competition in
sports
29. c) Dreams can come true with hard work, determination, and family support combined
30. c) Athletes can inspire positive change by using their voices and influence for important
social issues