Naomi Osaka joins forces with Google to address gender inequity

Naomi Osaka is one of the best hardcourt players of the modern era, as evidenced by her four Slam titles on the surface. But over the course of her career, Osaka has become renowned not just for her achievements on the court but also for the way she has used her platform to champion various social issues.

In the recent past, the Japanese has been an outspoken advocate on matters related to racial injustice and mental health. She has now taken up another good cause, partnering with the "Google Org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls" to address the issue of gender inequity.

Osaka took to Twitter earlier on Monday to state that she is "honored" to be a part of the experience. The 24-year-old also urged her followers to check out the initiative for themselves.

"Honored to have been a panelist for the @Googleorg Impact Challenge," Osaka wrote. "Check out these orgs who are changing the world for women and girls. #GoogleOrgImpactChallenge."

The four-time Grand Slam champion has been joined by various other notable women for the cause. Those include pop star Shakira, Nobel Peace Award winner Dr. Rigoberta Menchu and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, among others.

Under this initiative, various organizations around the globe receive funding from Google to bring about a change in the lives of women and girls by empowering them economically.

Naomi Osaka gears up for a return to tennis

Naomi Osaka at the 2021 US Open.

Naomi Osaka, announced a hiatus from tennis following her third-round exit from the US Open, is now getting ready for her comeback.

There had been a lot of speculation about whether Osaka would play early next year or not, given her recent inactivity. However, the Japanese recently posted an update on social media showing that she's back on the court and practicing for the upcoming season.

Naomi Osaka will start 2022 as the defending champion at the Australian Open, where she won her fourth Grand Slam title this year. After a pandemic-induced break in 2020, the 24-year-old took the tour by storm as she won her third Major at the US Open and went unbeaten until the Miami Open next year.

After another lengthy break in 2021, it remains to be seen if Osaka will be able to produce a similar display when she returns next year.