Naomi Osaka leaves teenage years behind
The newly minted 20-year-old made some waves in 2017.
If you watched a lot of tennis in the past year, you probably heard the phrase "talented teenager Naomi Osaka" uttered quite a bit.
Well now, announcers will need to find a new descriptor, as Monday was Osaka's 20th birthday.
The Japanese sensation has one of the most amusing online presences in the sport, as her Twitter bio states: "I play tennis and make jokes that nobody ever gets."
Filled with ups and downs, Osaka's final year as a teenager was definitely an exciting one.
In July, she played her first-ever main draw at Wimbledon, defeating Sara Sorribes Tormoa and Barbora Strycova, before falling in the third round to one of her childhood idols, Venus Williams.
On her way to the third round at the US Open, Osaka ousted defending champion Angelique Kerber in two fast sets on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Kerber would get her revenge (twice) during the Asia swing.
Then there was this unforgettable press-conference after her second-round US Open win over Denis Allertova:
In Hong Kong, less than a week ago, Osaka finally got that win over Williams ...
... and celebrated with a boat ride.
Let's just hope her next birthday ends up being more fun than this one.