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Nicolas Atkin

The accolades keep pouring in for Naomi Osaka, with Asia’a first world No 1 winning Breakthrough of the Year Award at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.
Away in the UAE for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Osaka was not able to collect the award at Monday night’s lavish ceremony in Monaco.
But the 21-year-old recorded a video message in acceptance of her statuette, which was just reward after back-to-back grand slams propelled her to the top of women’s tennis.
“Hey everyone, sorry I couldn’t be in Monaco,” she said. “But I wanted to give a huge thank you to the Laureus Academy for giving me the winner of the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award.

Want to hear from the #Laureus19 Breakthrough of the Year!?
Here's @Naomi_Osaka_ pic.twitter.com/FwQuwNzWjQ
— #Laureus19 (@LaureusSport) February 18, 2019

“I want to thank my coaching staff and my family for being with me throughout these entire years.
“I also want to thank the other nominees and the Laureus Academy for nominating me for such a prestigious award. Thank you guys so much.”
Naomi Osaka buries former coach Sascha Bajin as she breaks silence on split – and it’s no more Miss Nice Girl
Japanese-Haitian Osaka was No 72 in the WTA rankings at the start of 2018 but captured her first title at Indian Wells before winning her maiden major at the US Open last September.
She is without a coach, however, after parting ways with Sascha Bajin last week – despite the German being named WTA Coach of the Year – following an apparent rift in Melbourne.

Spanish motorcycle racer Ana Carrasco, Italian alpine ski racer Sofia Goggia, Norwegian middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Tour de France cycling champion Geraint Thomas of Wales, and Jamaican sprinter Briana Williams were also nominated for the breakthrough award.
The top prizes for Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year went to Osaka’s fellow tennis star Novak Djokovic and US gymnast Simone Biles.
Naomi Osaka’s split with coach Sascha Bajin seems like a needless risk – did a rift open up at the Australian Open?
Serbian Djokovic, 31, revealed in an emotional acceptance speech how he almost quit tennis during a horrible run of injuries in 2017 and early 2018.
“Last year was an incredible season for me, returning from injury to win Wimbledon and the US Open is something I’ll remember forever,” said Djokovic, whose win at the Australian Open made it 15 grand slams.

“I did think about leaving tennis,” he said. “I did not find myself in a good balance. It took me several months to find that purpose and meaning again.
“This award reflects and symbolises this journey. Reflecting on it standing here now it seems like a fairy tale story but it tells me one thing.
“In those moments when you are facing adversity and challenged you should always look inside. I did not understand that fully before but now I know where I can always find strength and belief and to keep on going.”
The Laureus Awards, or sporting Oscars, are noted on by the 68 members of the Laureus Academy, which includes nine-time grand slam singles champion Monica Seles.


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Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka wins Laureus award for Breakthrough of the Year as fallout from firing coach Sascha Bajin rumbles on

Naomi Osaka accepts her Laureus award for Breakthrough of the Year. Photo: Twitter

Naomi Osaka of Japan is pictured with Japan Tennis Association coach Masashi Yoshikawa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 16, 2019, ahead of the Dubai Tennis Championship starting the following day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

epa07379568 Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic poses with his Laureus Award for Sportsman of The Year at the 2019 Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, 18 February 2019. The annual Laureus Awards are held to honor people whom make a notable impact and remarkable accomplishments in the world of sport throughout the year. EPA-EFE/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Naomi Osaka buries former coach Sascha Bajin as she breaks silence on split – and it’s no more Miss Nice Girl

Naomi Osaka of Japan listens to Japan Tennis Association coach Masashi Yoshikawa in Dubai. Photo: Kyodo

Naomi Osaka of Japan chats with her team staff during training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 16, 2019, ahead of the Dubai Tennis Championship starting the following day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Naomi Osaka (R) of Japan and her coach Sascha Bajin are pictured ahead of the final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York in September 2018. Osaka announced on Feb. 11, 2019 that she will no longer be working with Bajin, two weeks after winning the Australian Open, her second straight Grand Slam title. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Photo shows Naomi Osaka (L) of Japan and her coach Sascha Bajin during the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne in January 2019. Osaka announced on Feb. 11 that she will no longer be working together with him, two weeks after becoming the first player from Asia to top either the men's or women's singles rankings. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Reigning U.S. and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan speaks at a press conference in Dubai on Feb. 17, 2019, where she will compete at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Tennis - Australian Open - Semi-final - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 24, 2019. Sascha Bajin, coach of Japan's Naomi Osaka, attends the match against Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Japan's Naomi Osaka and her father Leonard Francois pose for photographs with the championship trophy at the Brighton Beach in Melbourne on January 27, 2019, a day after her victory against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova in the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis tournament. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Naomi Osaka’s split with coach Sascha Bajin seems like a needless risk – did a rift open up at the Australian Open?

Sascha Bajin coaches Naomi Osaka during a practice session at the Australian Open. Photo: AP

epa07323118 Japan's Naomi Osaka (L) poses for a photo with her father Leonard Francois (R) and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at Brighton Beach in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2019. EPA-EFE/JULIAN SMITH EDITORIAL USE ONLY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Naomi Osaka (R) of Japan and her coach Sascha Bajin are pictured after a practice session ahead of her semifinal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Jan. 24, 2019. Osaka announced on Feb. 11 that she will no longer be working with Bajin, around two weeks after winning the tournament, her second straight Grand Slam title. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

epa07320610 Coach Sascha Bajin (L) is seen in the player's box during the women's singles final between Naomi Osaka of Japan and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2019. EPA-EFE/DAVID CROSLING EDITORIAL USE ONLY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Sport

Tennis

Asia’s first world No 1 wins Breakthrough of the Year at Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco
Osaka looking for new coach after abrupt split with Sascha Bajin despite two grand slams together


Asia’s first world No 1 wins Breakthrough of the Year at Laureus World Sports Awards with search for new coach continuing after shock Sascha Bajin split


WTA (Women's Tennis Association)