We’ll Never Get Over These 6 Photos of Tennis Pro and Soon-to-Be Mom Naomi Osaka in Malibu

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion was photographed for the 2021 SI Swimsuit Issue cover.
Naomi Osaka was photographed by Yu Tsai in Malibu, Calif.

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


Naomi Osaka is expecting her first baby girl with boyfriend Cordae this summer and in honor of the mom-to-be, we’re throwing it back to her iconic and stunning 2021 SI Swimsuit Issue cover photo shoot with photographer Yu Tsai in Malibu.

The 25-year-old four-time Grand Slam singles champion is accustomed to breaking barriers—she is the first Asian player to hold the No. 1 ranking in singles and the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam tournament. In ’21, she became the first Black athlete to land the cover of SI Swimsuit.

The KINLÒ founder is also an activist and uses her platform to raise awareness for racial injustices, human rights and mental health issues. 

“There’s no question that Naomi is one of the best athletes in the world, and a cover spot felt obvious. 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,” SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day stated at the time.

Below are six of our favorite photos from her SI Swimsuit cover photo shoot.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.