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Naomi Osaka attends the press conference at Nissan Global Headquarters on September 13, 2018 in Yokohama, Japan.
“This week has been a dream come to life, and I’m so honored to represent Japan and Nissan on the world stage,” Osaka said. “I was drawn to partner with Nissan because of its strong Japanese DNA and global competitive spirit. The brand is always challenging expectations, and I look forward to bringing its vision for driving excitement to new audiences around the world.”
Despite being in tears on Saturday while receiving the trophy inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York — after Williams’ outburst at umpire Carlos Ramos, calling him a “liar” and a “thief” — Osaka said she holds no ill-feelings about what happened.
“I don’t feel sad because I wouldn’t even know what I’m expected to feel. Because I feel like since it was my first final, and it was my first Grand Slam victory, overall I felt really happy and I know that I accomplished a lot.”
As part of the Nissan partnership, Osaka will appear in global promotions and advertising for the car company. She joins a roster of Nissan’s other global ambassadors, including soccer players Gareth Bale of Real Madrid and Manchester City’s record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero, who both featured prominently during Nissan’s most recent UEFA Champions League sponsorship campaign.
Osaka revealed on Ellen DeGeneres’ TV show this week that she doesn’t actually own a car. However, she will now also be provided with Nissan vehicles at her tennis tour destinations.
