Naomi Osaka was recognized for her success on the tennis court and her social activism off it Thursday, when she was named winner of Laureus' 2021 Sportswoman of the Year Award, becoming the first Japanese to win one of the annual ceremony's top honors.
The awards have been given out annually since 2000, when golfer Tiger Woods and American sprinter Marion Jones won the top men's and women's honors.
"I've watched so many of my role models win this award, so it definitely means a lot now to be holding it," Osaka said in an acceptance speech broadcast at the event, which was held digitally. "I am so happy to receive it. It really means a lot to me."