"Every time the media paints Naomi Osaka in an evil light, it’s the furthest from the truth, it makes me so pissed off" - Sister Mari Osaka

Mari Osaka posted a heartfelt message in support of sister Naomi Osaka on social media, where she laid bare how the latter has a heart of gold and hit out at the media for depicting her in an "evil light."

Older sister Mari, a former player who retired last year as she no longer found tennis fun, began to pursue her dreams in the fashion industry after hanging up her racquet. She revealed in her post that her sister helped her find her footing in the industry.

"Special post for my sister Naomi. Without her this would have been absolutely impossible. The support she’s given me after I quit tennis, I was literally a struggling artist. She got me the jobs I needed to be able to stand by myself. Tennis had put me into debt with traveling and coach expenses, I was not successful enough to support myself or my dreams," Mari Osaka wrote on Instagram.

She stated that her younger sister is the "most giving person" she knows of and asserted that segments in the media that have painted her as the villain have little clue about her sister's true self.

"She has literally saved my life in ways she doesn’t know. Every time the media paints her in an evil light, it’s the furthest from the truth. I want to shout it to the world because it makes me so pissed off. You’re the most giving person I know and honestly I really would like you to stop giving and take care of yourself more," the caption of the post read.

Mari Osaka also wished her sister well for the upcoming US Open, which begins on August 29.

"I can take care of myself now, I hope you can see that. Thank you Naomi, I love you. I hope you guys can cheer her on at us open this year."

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Naomi Osaka set to feature in her seventh US Open

Naomi Osaka in action at the 2022 Western & Southern Open.

Naomi Osaka will feature in her seventh US Open campaign when she takes to the court at Flushing Meadows next week. She is a two-time champion at the event, having won the tournament in 2018 and 2020.

Besides the two title-winning campaigns, the Japanese does not have a spectacular record in the tournament, having thrice lost in the third round (2016, 2017, and 2021). In 2019, Osaka went one step further before making her exit.