Naomi Osaka amused by fan bringing Barbie doll modeled on her with them to watch Margot Robbie-starrer in theatre

Four-time Grand Slam champion and activist, Naomi Osaka has not only impressed her fans with her exceptional tennis abilities but also with her bravery in addressing significant social matters.

Demonstrating the impact she has on her followers, one of them recently brought their Naomi Osaka Barbie doll along to watch the latest Barbie movie at the theaters.

The doll is part of the Barbie Role Model series, which honors women who have broken boundaries and made a positive impact on the world. Mattel, the maker of Barbie, unveiled the doll on July 12, 2021, as a tribute to Osaka’s achievements and influence.

The doll is a faithful replica of Osaka’s look at the 2020 Australian Open, where she wore a Nike tennis dress with a brushstroke print, a white visor, light blue sneakers, and a Yonex racket.

The new Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie as the iconic doll, is a live-action comedy that follows Barbie’s adventures in the real world after being expelled from Barbieland for not being perfect enough.

A Twitter user posted a picture on Saturday, July 22, in which they can be seen holding the doll in the theater during the end credits.

“Brought my Naomi Osaka Barbie to watch Barbie,” the user wrote on Twitter.

Osaka shared the screenshot on her Instagram story and wrote:

“LOL 🤣.”

Naomi Osaka on Instagram

This is not the first time that Osaka has been featured as a Barbie doll. In 2019, she was one of the 20 women who were honored with a one-of-a-kind Shero doll as part of Barbie’s 60th-anniversary celebration.

Osaka has not played since withdrawing from the Australian Open in January, citing mental health reasons. Her last match was at Tokyo Open in September last year.

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Naomi Osaka hits the court again only days after giving birth to daughter

Naomi Osaka in a practice session at the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set

After a period of maternity leave to welcome her first child, Naomi Osaka has been dropping hints regarding her plans for a tennis comeback. The birth of her daughter was announced by her boyfriend, rapper Cordae, during a recent concert, and they named the newborn Shai.

On Thursday, July 13, the former World No. 1 shared a partial picture of her daughter on social media and expressed her intentions to return to tennis action soon.

"Well that was a cool little intermission, now back to your regularly scheduled program," she tweeted.

Although specific details about her comeback haven't been disclosed yet, Osaka has mentioned her decision to take the entirety of 2023 for post-pregnancy recovery, and that she is aiming to make a comeback at the 2024 Australian Open.

"These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to. 2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I'll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely," she said in a social media post earlier this year.