Naomi Osaka may be in New York to play tennis, but she was spotted on a different kind of court ahead of the 2021 US Open.
On Friday, the four-time Grand Slam champion sat courtside at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for a WNBA game between the New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury Friday night.
She watched as the Liberty’s Natasha Howard dominated the paint, league legend Diana Taurasi drained five three-pointers, New York guard Sabrina Ionescu approached a triple-double, and Phoenix’s Skylar Diggins-Smith exploded for 27 points and seven assists.
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Osaka has established herself as a proponent of women’s sports, both through her play on the tennis court and through her investments. She’s a co-owner of a National Women’s Soccer League team, the two-time champion North Carolina Courage, and she’s invested in and partnered with several companies that promote women’s sports and athletes.
Perhaps an ownership stake in a WNBA team could be the next addition to Osaka’s diverse investment portfolio. Money seems to be no object for the reigning US Open champion, who earned $60 million from May 2020 to May 2021, per Forbes.
North Carolina Courage
Osaka, the WTA’s third-ranked player, begins her quest to defend her title in Flushing Meadows on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, when she’ll take on Czechia’s Marie Bouzková at center court in Arthur Ashe Stadium.