Naomi Osaka has shared her joy after a documentary created by her production company received an Emmy nomination.
Osaka is best known for her incredible tennis. The Japanese star's game on hard courts was almost unstoppable at its best, leading to the 25-year-old winning two Australian Open and two US Open titles.
She is currently away from the sport on maternity leave but plans to return to tennis next year. After everything she has achieved during her career so far, Osaka deserved a break regardless of the reason.
The four-time Grand Slam winner began exploring interests outside tennis before going on maternity leave. In June 2022, she founded a production company named Hana Kuma with Stuart Duguid.
Hana Kuma's first project was a documentary named 'Mink!' It told the incredible story of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. Congress and a fierce advocate for women's rights and education.
Hana Kuma proudly announced that its documentary was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Short Documentary, an incredible achievement for the production company's first project.
"Hana Kuma is thrilled to share that MINK!, our short film in partnership with Breakwater Studios and The New York Times Op-Docs, has been nominated for Outstanding Short Documentary at the 44th Annual News and Documentary Emmy® Awards! Congrats to everyone involved in making this film, which continues to keep Patsy Takemoto Mink’s legacy alive!"
Osaka, an executive producer on the documentary, was very proud that the production company she founded was nominated for an Emmy and congratulated everyone who made it possible.
"Huge congratulations to everyone on the team. Emmy nomination on our first project is kinda crazy. So grateful."
Osaka's plan to return to tennis means it is uncertain how actively she will be involved at Hana Kuma in the future, but the production company is clearly thriving.