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Naomi Osaka shortly before her tournament was canceled at the French Open
Photo: Christophe Ena / AP
After four Grand Slam titles, tennis player Naomi Osaka is now receiving a special award: the second in the world rankings will soon be available as a Barbie doll.
This makes it part of the "role model" line of the toy manufacturer Mattel, which is to be set up in a more diverse way according to the wishes of the group.
The Osaka Barbie joins the American soccer player Alex Morgan and the fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad.
According to a statement, the 23-year-old feels it is an “honor” to be there and “to remind young girls that they can make a difference in this world”. She wants young girls everywhere to feel empowered to dream big, Osaka said. When she was younger, her idol was Serena Williams.
Naomi Osaka last made headlines with her withdrawal from the French Open, which she justified with mental health problems.
The Japanese then received a lot of encouragement from fans and colleagues and triggered a debate about the mental health of top athletes with her action.
In addition, she repeatedly uses her media presence to draw attention to racism.
She also canceled Wimbledon, but she will now take part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo again - the doll should also appear at the start of the games at the end of this month.
Fans can then watch their games with a mini Naomi by their side.
nek / Reuters