Osaka now pro sports team owner too

Three- time Grand Slam tennis tournament champion and social justice advocate Naomi Osaka is adding another line to her résumé: pro sports team owner.

Osaka announced via Twitter on Thursday that she had purchased a stake in the North Carolina Courage, one of 10 teams in the National Women’s Soccer League. The highest- paid female athlete in the world last year according to Forbes, Osaka said investing in the NWSL was inspired by the support she has received from women in sports.

In an interview with People, Osaka said she had been in discussions with NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird for a while and looked at several teams before deciding to join the ownership group led by North Carolina- based businessman Steve Malik.

“I’ve been wanting to get involved with the NWSL for a while, to promote women’s sports and also as a business investment because I can see it growing rapidly,” Osaka told People. “First and foremost, I really like the people running the club from top to bottom. They align so closely with my values and interests – promoting women’s sports through grass roots and using the team as a platform to do good in the community.”

Osaka, 23, is preparing for the Australian Open beginning Feb. 8 where she will be the No. 3 seed and one of the favorites to win for the second time.

Last year Osaka became one of the most prominent voices in sports on issues of racial inequality after the death of George Floyd. During the U. S. Open, Osaka wore a mask coming onto the court with the name of a different person who had been killed by police violence. She ended up winning, defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final.

DANIELLE PARHIZKARAN/ USA TODAY SPORTS Naomi Osaka, 23, was the highest- paid female athlete in the world last year, according to Forbes.