Tennis star Naomi Osaka has become a force in the sports world, and now the decorated player is adding even more accomplishments to her long list of titles.
Osaka took to Instagram to announce that she has been appointed as a creative consultant and investor for premium sake brand SOTO — widely recognized for its authentic taste and high-end quality.
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“As a native of Japan, I am proud to be involved with a product that is authentically Japanese,” Osaka said in a press statement, according to Black Enterprise. “SOTO’s status as a made-in-Japan, traditional ‘Japanese sake’ is another major reason I’m supporting the brand.”
As a new asset to the brand, she will lend generational and cultural insights, according to Drinks International, as it targets more sales growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
“Naomi’s elegant, serene demeanor and philosophical outlook on her life and young career are big reasons we wanted her to be involved with SOTO,” said co-founder Billy Melnyk in a press statement. “Appreciating true Japanese sake is a transportive and enlightening experience, and we wanted our first publicly celebrated investor to embody that.”
He added: “We’re sharing the traditions of Japan through SOTO Sake’s modernized form, introducing the drinking experience of sake to more people, and contributing to the category’s increased popularity.”
Since her huge victory over reigning champion Serena Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open Finals, Osaka — at only 22-years-old — has become one of the most prominent players in tennis to date.
The half-Haitian, half-Japanese star was named the No. 1 player in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and is officially representing Japan in the U.S. Olympic games.
She also topped Forbes’ Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2020 list earning just $3.4 million in prize money but landed at No. 1 with $37.4 million thanks to her roster of sponsors.
