Naomi Osaka

Timed to publish as Naomi Osaka returns to tennis after the birth of her first baby, a deeply reported, revealing biography of tennis phenomenon and activist Naomi Osaka, written by Ben Rothenberg, telling the story behind her remarkable, grand slam-winning career and her headline-making advocacy for racial justice and mental health.

Most tennis fans met the Haitian-American/Japanese player Naomi Osaka for the first time as they watched her win the 2018 US Open in an unforgettably dramatic and controversial match against Serena Williams. Since then, Osaka has galvanized the tennis world not only by winning three more grand slams, but also by being incredibly outspoken on matters of social justice and mental health. It is both her extraordinary talent and her unique point of view that have propelled her to the top of her sport and onto the front page of newspapers and magazines worldwide, making her, as of 2021, the highest-paid female athlete in the world. But where did she come from and how did she get here? The story of Naomi Osaka and her family is unlike any other, and Ben Rothenberg’s biography will show why readers will be thrilled to read this book and learn more about tennis's most fascinating player.

Ben Rothenberg is a sportswriter from Washington, D.C.  He has covered Naomi Osaka around the world since she emerged onto the WTA Tour in 2014, both in print for The New York Times and on his podcast, No Challenges Remaining. In this book, Ben will share what Naomi Osaka  has been through, the incredible impact she’s had on the game and on social justice in both tennis and sports in general, and where she’ll be going next.

About the Author

Ben Rothenberg is a sportswriter from Washington, D.C. He has covered Naomi Osaka around the world since she emerged onto the WTA Tour in 2014, both in print for The New York Times and on his podcast, No Challenges Remaining. His work has focused on the intersections of social and cultural issues in tennis. He is a senior editor for Racquet magazine, and has appeared frequently as a tennis expert on international networks such as CNN, the BBC, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. With an eye for finding stories and dogged determination as a reporter, Rothenberg has become by many metrics the world’s leading tennis journalist, including on Twitter, where he has more than 130,000 followers.

Author Hometown: Washington, D.C.