Naomi Osaka to sign Adidas’ biggest ever deal with a female athlete

Naomi Osaka.
AP
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• Naomi Osaka could sign the biggest deal Adidas has ever
  agreed with a female athlete.
• The deal, believed to be worth $8.5 million, could be
  announced on Thursday.
• The new agreement comes hot on the heels of Osaka’s straight
  sets victory over Serena Williams, a match now notorious because
  of a global fallout.
• Osaka’s new deal with Adidas is said to be a reflection of
  the 20-year-old’s increased fame.
• And it could even be a sign of things to come, as Osaka is
  now seen as “a branding sensation.”

Naomi Osaka is reportedly set to sign the biggest deal Adidas has
ever agreed with a female athlete.

Osaka, a 20-year-old tennis player, just won the 2018 US Open —
her first ever Grand Slam title. She defeated 23-time major
winner Serena Williams in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, on Saturday at
the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, and collected a $3.8 million pay
check.

But her new deal with Adidas could dwarf her earnings from
tennis, The Times reports.

Osaka is currently on a “six figure” salary with Adidas but the
current agreement will expire before the end of the year.

The Times has claimed that a new contract — believed to be worth
$8.5 million — will be announced on Thursday. This would be the
biggest deal Adidas has agreed with a female athlete, according to Yahoo, who also
says it would see the Japanese star rocket up the Forbes list of
highest-paid women in sports.

With the new endorsement deal, Osaka could become the second
highest-paid woman, above fellow tennis
player Caroline Wozniacki but one rung below
Williams.

Osaka’s new-found fame

Osaka has been thrust into the global spotlight because of the
nature of her victory over Williams, who was given three code violations during
the US Open final match. The first violation was for coaching, which Williams
argued against. “I don’t cheat to win — I’d rather lose,”
she said. Williams was later
given a violation for smashing her racket, costing her a point.
Her third violation, for calling the umpire Carlos Ramos a
“thief,” cost her a game.

Williams has since been lampooned by an Australian
newspaper cartoonist, bringing even more notoriety to the
match.

The massive Adidas renewal could be a reflection of Osaka’s
increased standing in the sport, and around the world, Yahoo
reports.

The Adidas deal could be a sign of things to come for Osaka, as
the New York Post believes another
endorsement, potentially with a car manufacturer, could also be
on the horizon. The publication says Osaka is likely to become “a
branding sensation.”