Naomi Osaka’s Racquet – Player Profile

Naomi Osaka is a previous world no 1 with four Grand Slam titles. But what is Naomi Osaka’s racquet?

Naomi Osaka’s tennis racquet?

Naomi Osaka’s racquet is a Yonex Ai 98 but painted to look like the latest Yonex Ezone 98. At the time of writing, there is also a limited edition racquet of the most recent Ezone 98.

Naomi Osaka’s racquet is, like most tennis pros’, customized to suit her specs. She has lead tape added to the sides to bring her specs up to 341g / 12 oz, 31.8 cm / 7 pts HL, and a strung swing weight of 324. Her racquets are strung with Yonex Poly Tour Strike at 59 lbs in the mains and 56 lbs in the crosses.

What is different from Osaka’s racquet and the current Yonex Ezone 98?

The Yonex Ezone Ai 98 that Osaka uses has a more flexible feel, slightly better comfort and is more low-powered than the current Yonex Ezone 98. Her addition of lead tape to the sides will help increase the stability of the racquet and give her more power. The downside is that it will make the frame less maneuverable.

If you’re interested in racquet customization, you can check out my recent video about it on my YouTube channel. There are also several post about how to customize a racquet on Tennisnerd.

The difference from Osaka’s current racquet and the current Yonex Ezone 98 is the following:

Osaka’s racquet is more comfortable, heavier, and will give you a bit more control
The current Ezone 98 is easier to swing, will give you more free power, but a bit less control and comfort.

The variance between the generations of Yonex Ezone 98 is not drastic and there are fans of Xi (Nick Kyrgios racquet), (Ai, DR (Marton Fucosvics racquet)  and the first edition of Ezone 98 as well as the new one.

Which Ezone 98 do you prefer?

More about Osaka – Bio and Career

Osaka is known for her powerful serve and forehand, as well as her huge success on hard courts. A four-time Grand Slam champion, she became a global star not only for her on-court achievements but also for her advocacy for social justice and her openness about mental health.

Career Highlights and Grand Slam Success

Osaka’s career took off in 2018 when she won her first WTA Tour title at Indian Wells. Her breakthrough moment came later that year at the US Open, where she defeated her idol, Serena Williams, in a highly memorable final to claim her first major title. This victory made her the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles championship.

Following that win, Osaka continued her hard-court dominance, securing a second consecutive major title at the 2019 Australian Open. This victory got her to the World no 1 ranking, making her the first Asian player to achieve this feat.

She added to her Grand Slam collection in 2020 by winning her second US Open title and followed it up with her second Australian Open in 2021. All four of her major titles have been won on hard courts. When she reaches the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, she’s undefeated, winning all four times she’s advanced that far.

• Grand Slam Titles: 4 (US Open 2018, 2020; Australian Open 2019, 2021)
  • Defeated Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final, becoming the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
  • Won the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open, showcasing dominance on hard courts.
• World Ranking: Reached No. 1 in January 2019, the first Asian player to hold the top WTA ranking.
• Olympic Participation: Represented Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, lighting the Olympic cauldron.
• Other Achievements: Won nine WTA titles, including the 2019 China Open and 2020 Cincinnati Masters. Known for her advocacy on mental health and racial equality, notably during the 2020 US Open where she honored victims of racial injustice.

Beyond the Court

Off the court, Osaka has used her platform to bring attention to important issues. In 2020, during her run to the US Open title, she wore masks bearing the names of Black victims of police brutality to raise awareness. She has also been a vocal advocate for mental health in sports, sparking a global conversation about the pressures athletes face. After taking a hiatus for her mental well-being and later for the birth of her daughter, she has returned to the tour, at times showing flashes of her champion form.

Follow Naomi Osaka

Fans of the Japanese star can follow her on the Instagram profile @naomiosaka where she has around 2.8M followers, or on X with around 1M followers.