Sportswriter Ben Rothenberg has produced a portrait of tennis champion Naomi Osaka that traces her childhood doubts and dreams into the present. It depicts issues of nationality, race and feminist drive against a background of the exciting world of sports both in the headlines and behind the scenes.

Naomi is the daughter of a Haitian-American father and a Japanese mother. They, along with her older sister Mari, immigrated to the US when she was three. The girls’ father saw how Serena and Venus Williams had succeeded in tennis thanks to early coaching, and thus began Naomi’s ascent to fame. The Osaka sisters are compared and contrasted throughout Rothenberg’s dynamic portrayal of their coming of age. Naomi was chubby, while Mari seemed far more competent and fit for competition. But the two gradually became competitive equals, with Mari’s progress becoming a prod for Naomi.

"Rothenberg’s wide-ranging tapestry will enchant Naomi Osaka’s fan base and introduce this remarkable woman to a new and doubtless admiring audience."

Still, it would be several years before their training and zeal would yield positive results. Naomi took the spotlight in 2014 when she beat a prominent player in the Stanford Classic, causing onlookers to ask who she was and sponsors to approach the 16-year-old. In a post-match interview, she expressed her wish of “winning as many Grand Slams as I can.” Naomi would become one of the highest-ranking, wealthiest players in the profession, fulfilling her youthful desire. She endured challenges both on the court and within the culture.

Naomi, by her parents’ choice, represented not the US but Japan and was sometimes seen as Black. On a deeper level, despite her many highly lauded successes, Naomi suffered from a gnawing sense of inferiority, trying hard to open her mind to the abundance of attention her career was garnering. As Rothenberg reveals, she slowly learned to draw on her inner powers to sift through her embarrassment (sometimes contempt) to realize that she shouldn’t let it affect who she was and who she would continue to be.

Rothenberg, who became fascinated by Naomi’s rise to prominence, has researched his biographical heroine diligently, with commentary and input from family and fellow sports mavens. He acknowledges that during his pursuit of Naomi’s public and personal activities and sensitivities, he was immersed in “one of the most unpredictable chapters of her life,” a phase that concluded with her giving birth to a girl in July 2023. Color photographs enhance his narrative, showing Naomi giggling in front of a microphone and then weeping. This rich mixture underpins the book’s theme: Naomi is a proud, honest and open young lady who will always strive to stay in the forefront of whatever endeavor she undertakes.

Rothenberg’s wide-ranging tapestry will enchant Naomi Osaka’s fan base and introduce this remarkable woman to a new and doubtless admiring audience.