Naomi Osaka's daughter, Shai, receives a miniature racket identical to the Japanese Dragon and Spider Lily-inspired blade

Naomi Osaka's daughter Shai recently received a mini racket from her mother's sponsor, Yonex. The racket was identical to the Dragon and Spider Lily-inspired racket designed by Naomi and her sister Mari back in 2022.

On Friday (22 December), Osaka posted pictures of the racket on her Instagram story along with a backpack with her daughter's name, "Shai," written on it. In one of the pictures, she also placed her racket side by side with the mini racket Yonex gifted Shai.

In the caption, Osaka thanked Yonex for the present.

“Thank you Yonex,” she said.

Check out Naomi Osaka's story below:

Osaka's IG story: Shai receives a miniature racket identical to the Japanese Dragon and Spider Lily-inspired blade

The 26-year-old last played a professional tennis match in September 2022 before taking a break as she was expecting her first child with American rapper Cordae. She gave birth to her daughter Shai in July, and since then, has been racing back to fitness.

It was announced in early November that the four-time Grand Slam winner would be making her comeback at the Brisbane International, running from December 31 to January 7. She will also be joined by 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, who will be making his comeback after missing the majority of the 2023 season due to injuries that required surgery.

---

The racket designed by Naomi Osaka and her sister draws inspiration from their childhood

Naomi and her sister Mari

Naomi Osaka and her sister Mari designed the Dragon and Spider Lily-themed racket in 2022 when they collaborated with Yonex.

In an article on the Yonex website, Mari, Naomi Osaka's sister, shared that the design was inspired by their childhood because sometimes their mother visualized them as dragons.

Mari shared the idea behind the dragon symbolism. She hoped that as Naomi Osaka plays with the racket, it becomes a source of strength and confidence for her on the court even in the former's absence.

"The dragons represent an unwavering, fighting spirit. I hope the racquet gives Naomi strength and confidence every time she steps on the court even when I’m not with her," Mari Osaka said.

Naomi Osaka shared that she and her sister always dreamed of creating a racket that felt truly special. She shared how the design is packed with unique and detailed elements, making it a one-of-a-kind piece.

“My sister and I have always talked about designing a racquet and to see it come to life is really special – the design is so detailed and unique,” Naomi said.

Yonex has been supplying her with rackets since 2008. Aside from Yonex, Osaka also has sponsorship deals with Autograph, Hyperice, LVMH Moët, Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Modern Health, Morinaga & Company, Nike, Panasonic, Tag Heuer, Victoria's Secret, and a few other brands.