'I Don't Think I'm Famous': Osaka Downplays Her Fame Despite Global Stardom
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Naomi Osaka was asked about being famous, and she has provided a really unique response, explaining her view on her influence.
As the former WTA World No. 1 player, Osaka is really well-known among tennis fans. She is a four-time Grand Slam champion, having triumphed twice at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, and also two times at the US Open in New York in the United States.
Those two events have a reach beyond the regular fanbase, especially the US Open, which regularly attracts millions of people around the world.
As someone who has won that Grand Slam twice and even bested Serena Williams in one of those finals, Osaka's face is recognizable not only to tennis fans.
At the end of the day, her 2.8 million Instagram followers are proof of that, as she's one of the most followed tennis players on social media. She's also an entrepreneur, and her global reach is highlighted by the fact that she often appears among the highest-paid female athletes, thanks to her reach and sponsorships.
Osaka chose to start the 2025 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, and at the WTA 250 event, she was asked about her influence and how it felt to be famous.
The Japanese player provided a very interesting response, saying that, according to her, someone who is famous can't go outside because of the paparazzi waiting everywhere.
"You know what’s funny? I don’t think I'm famous. I feel like the word "famous," when I think of it, is someone who like can’t go outside.. they have paparazzi everywhere."
As the 27-year-old player explained, whenever she's in some city, she likes to go outside and walk through it, exploring the sights and seeing new things.
"I’m the type of person who I’ll just walk outside when I’m in a city. I love walking and seeing things."
Instead, Osaka likes to see herself as someone who has plenty of friends anywhere she goes. She is one of the players who likes to interact with fans, and her approach to her fame shows why so many admire her.
"I think instead of the word "famous" I think of myself more as like I have friends all around the world that know me. I might not know them right away, but it’s kind of like I was able to give them memories, and hopefully, we’ll be able to talk and interact about them."
Outside of talking about her view on her fame, Osaka will want to focus on her tennis at the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, where she started with a first-round win over Lina Glushko.
In the second round, the four-time major winner will play against Julia Grabher, ranked 470th in the world, which gives her a great opportunity to reach the quarter-finals already in her first tournament of the new season.
