Soft-spoken tennis champion Naomi Osaka will share intimate details from her life and career in a new three-part documentary series. The self-titled project is directed by Academy Award nominee Garrett Bradley and executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Devin Johnson, Jamal Henderson, Philip Byron, Matthew Goldberg, Brandon Carroll, Ryan Schiavo, and Garrett Bradley.
Set to debut on July 16, the docuseries follows the global tennis phenom as she experiences a historic two years in the sport and finds her voice both on and off the court. The series shows Osaka mourning the death of her mentor, Kobe Bryant, defending her grand slam titles while wearing masks in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, exploring her Haitian roots and Japanese heritage, and finding the balance between existing as a generational talent in sports and enjoying her personal life.
“The series is about Naomi’s journey, within a snapshot of her life, but it’s also about life’s purpose, about personal worth, about the courage that it takes to allow one’s personal values to inform their work and vice versa,” said Bradley in a provided statement. “More than anything, I’d hope people can feel the power of empathy and to feel encouraged to take chances in life, perhaps especially in moments where the stakes can feel impossibly high.”
Osaka added, “I feel like the platform that I have right now is something that I used to take for granted, and for me I feel like I should be using it for something. I believe, instead of following, you have to make your own path.”
The 23-year-old athlete recently made headlines for prioritizing her mental health. In May, she made the unprecedented decision to withdraw from the French Open after pushback and fines for refusing to participate in post-match pressers. As VIBE previously reported, her choice drew criticism, but also widespread support. Major companies such as Nike, Mastercard, and Nissan continued to back the tennis star.
Nike expressed its commitment to back the young star saying, “Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience.”
“Naomi Osaka’s decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being,” said Mastercard. “We support her and admire her courage to address important issues, both on and off the court.
Watch the trailer for Naomi Osaka below: