‘Naomi Osaka has an incredible inner strength, both on and off the court. She does everything, including speaking out on important social issues, with grace and kindness. Her courage is enormous. She is a trailblazer, a role model and an inspiration.’

‘This riveting book is about race, class, mental health, fame and what it really takes to make a world champion.’

‘A comprehensive look at the career of a young tennis star.’

‘Rothenberg provides exciting accounts of key matches and a sensitive treatment of Osaka’s public battle with depression… Osaka’s fans will lap this up.’

‘Ben Rothenberg worked alongside me for many years as a contributor to The New York Times. He is one of the best reporters in the global game of tennis, and he proves it once again with this deep dive into the multicultural phenomenon that is Naomi Osaka.’

‘Ben Rothenberg’s myriad revelations will inspire re-evaluations of this most reluctant superstar. With uncommon reporting, he examines what drove Osaka and what drove her to despair, and in doing so he articulates how she has grown, changed, and changed the game around her.’

‘A compelling, comprehensive biography of one of the most fascinating athletes of the past decade. Rothenberg provides essential context for both her on-court successes and off-court decisions. Even as someone who has covered Osaka’s entire career, I learned a lot.’

‘What is the price of superstardom? Rothenberg had a front-row seat for Naomi Osaka’s rise from tennis curiosity to cultural icon and he beautifully captures the ups and downs of her riveting ride.’

‘An insightful look into the unconventional life of this Gen-Z tennis star…Sports fans will devour details about Osaka’s coaches and tournament matches…Especially moving is the account of how Osaka, a self-described introvert, made her foray into sports activism in support of the Black Lives Matter movement…Using her platform, Osaka has made a mark advocating for mental health and, as Rothenberg shows, along the way learned to be unapologetically herself.’

‘A meticulous biography that is, in turns, earnest and ardent.’

‘The fearless tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg wrote the best book about a player I’ve read in a long while.’

‘More than a reporter of results…He covers the politics, social and cultural issues of the global game in print.’

‘Naomi Osaka is the work of an expert journalist determined to leave no stone unturned in painting the bigger picture. The book is detailed, thoroughly researched and contextually placed to give Osaka’s story the wider cultural and political lens which is the attention she and her career deserves…Rothenberg gives incredible detail to the big moments of Osaka’s career and provides the insight of a seasoned tennis journalist…Through Rothenberg’s excellent journalism, engaging prose and respect for Osaka and women’s tennis, I feel like I understand not only more about her, but why I admire her so much.’