Tennis Icon Naomi Osaka’s SI Swimsuit Cover Photo Shoot Was a California Dream

She traveled to Malibu, Calif., where the athlete posed for her 2021 magazine feature.

Naomi Osaka was photographed by Yu Tsai in Malibu, Calif. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Back in 2021, Naomi Osaka became the first Haitian and Japanese woman to grace the cover of the SI Swimsuit Issue. She was just 23, but as one of the best female professional tennis players in the world, she already had a platform and was poised to use that position for good.

Editor in chief MJ Day recognized that when she asked Osaka to travel to Malibu, Calif., for a photo shoot captured by Yu Tsai. “There’s no question that Naomi is one of the best athletes in the world, and a cover spot felt obvious,” she said at the time. “She’s spent her formative years racking up titles and is headed to the Olympics. But we celebrate Naomi for her passion, strength and power geared towards consistently breaking barriers when it comes to equality, social justice and mental health.”

Three years on, Osaka continues to be and to fight for all of those things and more. The athlete stepped away from tennis last season to prepare for and give birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai. Since returning this year, she has been outspoken about the challenges of doing it all—and, simultaneously, the desire to do it all for the sake of her daughter. She has become an advocate for paid parental leave in the United States (in addition to her continued advocacy for equality and social justice causes).

Osaka is working her way back toward her former world No. 1 ranking on the tennis court, too. Currently, the athlete is gearing up for her fourth career Wimbledon, which is set to start on July 1.

In honor of all that she has done—and will, no doubt, continue to do—on the tennis court and beyond, we’re taking a look back at her glamorous cover photo shoot. Here are some of her stunning pics from California.

Naomi Osaka was photographed by Yu Tsai in Malibu, Calif. Swimsuit by Norma Kamali. Earrings by Anita Ko. Ring by Khiry. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Naomi Osaka was photographed by Yu Tsai in Malibu, Calif. Swimsuit by Dos Gardenias. Necklace by Sophie Buhai. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Naomi Osaka was photographed by Yu Tsai in Malibu, Calif. Swimsuit by Frankies Bikinis x Naomi Osaka. Earrings by Taylor Nikole. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated