Naomi Osaka's US Open triumph is paying off huge. Less than a week after she topped Serena Williams in a controversial US Open final to became the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam title, the 20-year-old Osaka just might be the next face of Adidas
As London's The Times reported this week, this year's women's champ is set to sign a new clothing deal with the company, and not just any clothing deal -- the largest in the history of women's tennis, worth $8.5 million per year:
Osaka, from Japan, already had significant marketability as an Asian star, and that will only increase after her US Open success. The 20-year-old's clothing contract with Adidas is up for renewal at the end of this year, while an announcement is due on Thursday on a new partnership with a global automobile company. Bonuses will now (also) be triggered in her existing deals — Yonex, Citizen and Nissin Foods Group are among her sponsors.
Williams herself was ranked atop Forbes' most recent list of highest-paid female athletes with approximately $18 million in 2017-18 earnings. According to Chief Marketer, she is under contract with Nike for what was reported to be $55 million for up to eight years.
Osaka is still relatively new to the international spotlight despite her US Open stardom. She had her first noted breakthrough at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic, where she beat former US Open winner Samantha Stosur, then appeared in her first Women's Tennis Association final two years later. This year, she emerged as a nationally-ranked star, upsetting Maria Sharapova at the Indian Wells tourney and cruising to this month's US Open victory.
