World No.1 Naomi Osaka has added to her already impressive collection of sponsorship deals after join Nike’s list of professional athletes.
The 21-year-old has experienced a surge in endorsements over the past year following her success of the tour. Winning both the US Open and Australian Open. Osaka has also become the first Asian player in history to top the world rankings in the sport. Towards the end of 2018 it was rumoured that she was in contention of signing a record-breaking deal with Adidas, but it failed to happen. Paving way for a collaboration with Nike.
“As we continue to inspire millions of athletes to chase their crazy dreams, Naomi is an incredible talent to add to our roster and help drive our commitment to inspiring a new generation of female athletes,” says Amy Montagne VP, GM of Global Categories. “We are thrilled to have her join our team.”
What a welcome, thank you! #JustDoIt #TeamNike @nike @nikewomen @nikecourt @niketokyo @KDTrey5 pic.twitter.com/Jp1t57HHPX
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) April 5, 2019
According to IMG Tennis, Osaka has signed a total of six endorsement deals since her US Open triumph last September. Besides Nike, she has secured contracts with Nissan, All Nippon Airways and Proctor & Gamble. The financial details of those contracts are usually kept private, but many industry experts list her as one of the highest earning tennis players in terms of endorsements.
“I’m proud to become a member of the Nike family and excited about getting involved in all of the opportunities Nike has to offer,” says Osaka. “Nike has a legendary track record of writing history and I look forward to being a part of those moments for many years to come.”
On the court, it has been a challenging time for the two-time grand slam champion. During her last three tournaments, Osaka has won three out of six matches played and was unable to defend her title at Indian Wells. Nevertheless, she still leads the WTA rankings with a 239-point advantage over second place Simona Halep.
Osaka will officially start wearing Nike clothing on the tour at the Stuttgart Open next month. With a series of clothing choice at her dispense, Nike confirmed that she will be wearing their Zoom Zero shoes.
Supergirl @Naomi_Osaka_ signs new apparel deal with @Nike. 6th new deal since beginning of US Open. @Nikecourt #IMGTennis #NaomiOsaka pic.twitter.com/yUUhHKb0Dx
— IMG Tennis (@IMGTennis) April 5, 2019
