Netflix drops 1st trailer for Naomi Osaka documentary

The tennis star dives deep into her life in the public eye, her dedication to her family, and more in the first glimpse at the highly anticipated docuseries

The first glimpse at Naomi Osaka‘s highly anticipated Netflix docuseries is finally here. Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the series which gets inside the record-breaking tennis player’s head.

Osaka has made major headlines in 2021. Choosing her mental health and happiness above everything else, the tennis star famously pulled herself out of the French Open in May. After taking a social media hiatus, Osaka returned with some shots from her Vogue Japan cover and now is getting ready to let the public in more than ever before, but on her own terms. 

Naomi Osaka, a three-part docuseries, is set to drop on Netflix on July 16th, and is described as highlighting Osaka’s “unapologetic honesty and vulnerability.”

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2021 - Day Five
Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a forehand on day 5 of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia match between Naomi Osaka of Japan and Jessica Pegula of USA at Foro Italico on May 12, 2021 in Rome, Italy. S (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

The riveting trailer for the series kicks off with Osaka’s narration, with her saying, “No one really knows all the sacrifices that you make just to be good.” The docuseries appears to dive deep into her relationship with being in the public eye, her dedication to her sport and her deep love of her family and heritage.

She says in the clip about her Haitian father, “Before I won U.S. Open, so many people told my dad that I would never be anything.” She continues, “My dad has always been proud of where he comes from…whenever I’m in hard situations, he’s always told me my ancestors were on this ship for like 40 days. I use that as strength.”

Speaking of her deep love for her mother, she says in the trailer, “Growing up, all I was thinking was I want my mom to be happy. I want her to stop working. She would work overtime, she would sleep in her car. And for me, that was my whole point of playing tennis.”

The trailer ends with Osaka asking the question, “what am I if I’m not a good tennis player?”

Naomi Osaka thegrio.com
Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts against Maria Sakkari of Greece in their quarterfinal match of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Per the synopsis via Deadline, “with unprecedented access, the docuseries follows Osaka during a historic two years in which she works on her game but also begins to find her voice. Whether she’s defending her grand slam titles —while wearing masks in defense of Black lives — mourning the unexpected loss of mentor Kobe Bryant, or finding her independence, the challenges Naomi faces on a personal level begin to align with those in the public sphere.

“Empathetic in its approach, the series chronicles Osaka’s hectic training and travel schedule, explores the layers of pressure she is under and reveals how she spends her time off the court hanging with her closest family and friends. The episodes also travel the globe with Osaka to further explore her Haitian roots as well as examine her deep connection to Japan, the country she represents.”

Check out the official trailer below:

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