Mari Osaka (大坂 まり, Ōsaka Mari, born April 3, 1996) is a Japanese Haitian-American fashion designer,[1] and former tennis player.[2]

Mari Osaka
大坂 まり
Country (sports) Japan
ResidenceFlorida
Born (1996-04-03) April 3, 1996 (age 28)
Osaka, Japan
RetiredMarch 9, 2021
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$90,891
Singles
Career record196–162
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 280 (May 28, 2018)
Doubles
Career record4–16
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 907 (April 17, 2017)

In her career, she reached four ITF finals. She is the older sister of Naomi Osaka, with whom she has collaborated on several fashion design and art projects.[3][4][5][6]

Biography

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Osaka was born in Japan[citation needed] to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father; shortly thereafter, the family moved to Long Island, New York.[7] She grew up in Fort Lauderdale.[citation needed]

Osaka made her WTA Tour debut at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic, in the doubles event partnering with Marina Shamayko, losing in the first round to the pair Varvara Lepchenko and Ajla Tomljanović.

She made her WTA Tour singles debut at the 2019 Miami Open, having received a wildcard into the main draw, but lost to Whitney Osuigwe. Osaka announced retirement from professional tennis in early 2021.[8]

Since retirement, she has focused on her art and fashion design, including co-designing her sister Naomi's Met Gala look[9] in fall 2021. Osaka's previous artistic work includes creating custom-designed COVID masks for UNICEF[10] and illustrating the cover for GQ Japan's June 2020 edition featuring her sister.[11]

In January 2024, Osaka accused her father, Leonard François, of long-term physical abuse.[12]

ITF Circuit finals

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Singles: 4 (4 runner–ups)

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Legend
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Finals by surface
Hard (0–2)
Clay (0–2)
Result W–L    Date    Tournament Tier Surface Opponent Score
Loss 0–1 Sep 2012 ITF Amelia Island, United States 10,000 Clay   Jamie Loeb 3–6, 5–7
Loss 0–2 May 2017 ITF Goyang, South Korea 25,000 Hard   Peangtarn Plipuech 6–7(7–9), 0–6
Loss 0–3 Jul 2017 ITF Denain, France 25,000 Clay   Lina Gjorcheska 2–6, 7–5, 6–7(6–8)
Loss 0–4 Oct 2018 ITF Florence, United States 25,000 Hard   Bianca Andreescu 4–6, 6–2, 3–6

References

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  1. ^ Hyde, Shelby Ying (September 13, 2021). "Naomi Osaka's Met Gala Vuitton Look Pays Homage to Her Roots". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Getting to know... Naomi Osaka". Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  3. ^ Hyde, Shelby Ying (September 13, 2021). "Naomi Osaka's Met Gala Vuitton Look Pays Homage to Her Roots". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  4. ^ "Naomi and Mari Osaka on Fashion in Tennis and Their New Charity Face Masks". Vogue. July 2, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  5. ^ Cash, Meredith. "Naomi Osaka poked fun at her artistic abilities after botching yet another Australian Open camera lens doodle". Insider. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  6. ^ Tennis.com. "Naomi Osaka enters NFT space with sister Mari". Tennis.com. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  7. ^ Kaufman, Michelle (March 21, 2019). "Mari Osaka loses at Miami Open, gets emotional talking about top-ranked sister Naomi". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "Mari Osaka, Naomi's Sister, Announces Retirement from Tennis at 24, Says She 'Didn't Enjoy' Journey". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  9. ^ Hyde, Shelby Ying (September 13, 2021). "Naomi Osaka's Met Gala Vuitton Look Pays Homage to Her Roots". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Naomi and Mari Osaka on Fashion in Tennis and Their New Charity Face Masks". Vogue. July 2, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  11. ^ "Naomi Osaka, Illustrated by her Sister Mari Osaka". Spoon & Tamago. June 9, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  12. ^ https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-next-time-i-m-calling-police-i-will-kill-unless-kill-first-naomi-osaka-s-sister-accuses-father-abuse-emotional-harassment
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