Naomi Osaka – Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition: Japanese Tennis sensation Naomi Osaka has appeared on the cover of famous American magazine Sports Illustrated ahead of the Olympics. The famous Swimsuit Issue this year has featured Osaka on its cover in one piece. Osaka is becoming the first female Black athlete to do so.
The four-time Grand Slam champion pulled out of the French Open after controversy over her unwillingness to speak to media at the event to protect her mental health & will now be seen competing at the Tokyo Olympics.
Naomi Osaka – Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition: The SI Swimsuit issue is an annual magazine that features female athletes and celebrities modelling swimwear. The most famous tennis star of the current times has been included on the cover with musician Megan Thee Stallion and transgender model Leyna Bloom.
Osaka is seen on the cover page in black swimwear. Osaka earlier this year had launched her own swimwear range. Osaka had joined forces with LA-based fashion brand Frankies Bikinis for a range that launched in May this year.
The cover photograph is viewed as prestigious in American culture, with the likes of Ronda Rousey and Alex Morgan featuring on the cover in recent years.
“There’s no question that Naomi is one of the best athletes in the world, and a cover spot felt obvious,” SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day said. “She’s spent her formative years racking up titles and is headed to the Olympics. But we celebrate Naomi for her passion, strength, and power geared towards consistently breaking barriers when it comes to equality, social justice, and mental health.”
Naomi Osaka on her Sports Illustrated cover: “I’m so proud to be one of the first Japanese and Haitian women to grace one of the covers” pic.twitter.com/0dW1NAOWEK
— Dionne Grant (@DionneGrant) July 19, 2021
Naomi Osaka – Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition: Osaka recently had her own Barbie Doll sell out last week. The 23-year-old has had both a national and global impact, having been heavily involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and regularly showcasing her Japanese roots.
She is representing Japan at the Tokyo Olympic Games. She was named Sports Illustrated’s sportsperson of the year in 2020 for her activism.
