Amid AO uncertainty, Naomi Osaka signs Ons Jabeur to her management agency

FLASHBACK: Tennis Channel Live discusses Naomi Osaka starting her own agency

When, and if, she’ll next hit the courts is still anybody’s guess, but former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka is already scoring major tennis wins in 2023.

The two-time Australian Open champion's name appears by default on the Grand Slam’s main draw entry list—however Osaka herself is notably not entered in any WTA tune-up events, and she seems to be keeping mum about her whereabouts on social media. But thanks to her keen business eye, the 25-year-old scored a management upset in signing world No. 2 Ons Jabeur to her boutique agency, Evolve.

“I first met Ons at the WTA Rising Stars event in 2015 and my immediate thought while interacting with her was, ‘Wow she’s the nicest person I’ve ever met,’" Osaka wrote in a social media post welcoming Jabeur and business partner Adel Aref. “I was extremely shy so all I could ever do was mumble out a few words but she always came up to me, cracked jokes and made me feel more comfortable. Even now when we play the same tournaments she still does the same.”

“Over the years watching her rise through the tour and become the star that she is has been incredibly joyful to watch and I can’t wait to see her create more history and ascend even higher.”

Jabeur, who reached the final at Wimbledon and US Open last year, was previously represented by TopFive Management.

Osaka and her longtime agent, Stuart Duguid, launched Evolve in May 2022 following the pair’s departure from IMG. The first elite female athlete to take control of her business ventures by building her own agency, Osaka announced her first major signing a month later in the mercurial and buzz-worthy Aussie, Nick Kyrgios.

“Kyrgios embodies the types of athletes we want to work with at Evolve,” Osaka told sports business website Boardroom. “He’s got an unmatched style, passion, and personality that is unlike any other in the sport.”

“When I learned that Stuart and Naomi were starting an agency focused on supporting athletes like me, it made complete sense to join,” Kyrgios added.

In Kyrgios and Jabeur, Evolve’s growing roster highlights top players whose personalities don’t fit neatly into a traditional marketing mold, and whose stories transcend borders. Both will also feature prominently in the upcoming Netflix docuseries Break Point.

Evolve describes itself as a multifaceted agency that's “focused on brand partnerships, investing, creating athlete-owned businesses and philanthropy”. And in practice, it also serves as a catalyst for Osaka’s many and varied business interests: from her partnerships with brands like Louis Vuitton and Nike to her investment in professional pickleball, and more.

During the off-season, the Japanese player embarked on a media tour promoting her new children’s book, The Way Champs Play, as well as her skincare line, Kinlo. And over the summer she launched her own media company, Hana Kuma, in collaboration with LeBron James, shortly after announcing Evolve.

It’s moves like these that have made Osaka the highest-earning female athlete in the planet, earning $51.1 million alone in 2022—despite skidding out of the WTA’s Top 20 during an abbreviated season that saw her go 14-9 and earn $1.1 million in prize money. The four-time Grand Slam champion hasn’t competed since bowing out of Tokyo in September, having struggled with a left Achilles injury before ultimately shutting down her season.

Currently ranked No. 42, Osaka would be unseeded at the Australian Open which takes place from 16-29 January.