After three years of independent entrepreneurship away from the “big league,” Naomi Osaka has reportedly failed and is said to be returning to her former agency, IMG.

Three years ago, Naomi Osaka decisively left the prestigious IMG, showing how determined she was; now, three years later, she is likely feeling deeply disappointed inside!

Naomi Osaka has long been regarded as a highly ambitious woman who rarely changes her decisions once made. For instance, she wanted to become a mother, ignoring her family’s strong objections to her out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and left IMG without looking back, aiming to build greater wealth through entrepreneurship.

But looking back now, these two impulsive decisions by Naomi Osaka clearly ended poorly, and the price she paid was quite high.

After rising from a slump with strong support from Vasek Pospisil, Naomi Osaka’s sudden public announcement of her pregnancy immediately ignited widespread discussion. Upon returning after childbirth, she was very confident, and many initially thought the young Japanese star might become the second Kim Clijsters. Yet no one expected she would never shine at her former peak again. Winning a Grand Slam title again seemed distant, and even re-entering the world’s top ten became extremely difficult. This child fulfilled Naomi Osaka’s desire to be a mother but also caused her to fall hard from her pedestal.

In 2022, when Naomi Osaka left IMG and announced she was starting a management company with her agent, her ambitions were even greater, boldly declaring a goal of reaching $150 million in annual income.

However, three years later, although Naomi Osaka still holds a spot on the list of wealthy female athletes, she is clearly far from reaching that goal. Ultimately, as she announced her exit from the management company she founded and parted ways with the agent who had stood by her, it seems her entrepreneurial venture officially ended in failure after three years.

“I’m posting this to let everyone know that I will be leaving Evolve next year. We had wonderful times together, and I truly cherish all the memories we shared.” After Naomi Osaka announced her departure from the agency she co-founded via her personal social media, many fans and netizens bluntly said they had already expected this outcome. Back then, immersed in her huge ambitions, Naomi Osaka lacked this clarity, but after three years, she finally tasted the bitterness of entrepreneurial failure, even if she never openly admitted it.

Many now believe that Naomi Osaka’s painful price for leaving IMG was a losing bet because she overestimated her own abilities, seemingly convinced she was capable of anything—achieving great success on the court and building a new business empire independently, despite the solid commercial foundation IMG had helped establish.

How glorious was Naomi Osaka’s partnership with IMG? She topped Forbes’ global female athlete earnings list for three consecutive years, even surpassing the legendary Serena Williams, with astonishing income.

This year, Coco Gauff ranked first on Forbes’ global female athlete earnings list with $33 million, which many fans and netizens consider very high. However, compared to Naomi Osaka in her prime, there was still a significant gap.

For example, before officially leaving IMG in 2022, Naomi Osaka’s annual income reached $51.1 million, holding as many as 16 endorsements, all highly coveted premium brands.

At the time, many believed that Naomi Osaka’s decision to leave the prestigious IMG and go solo was a misjudgment of her own capabilities, failing to realize that everything she had was gained by relying on IMG’s strong platform. The agency had concentrated top resources on her as her Grand Slam victories increased, enabling her to surpass Serena Williams, who had greater fame and influence in tennis.

Three years later, Naomi Osaka’s ranking on the wealthy athlete list has slipped further, her income steadily shrinking, confirming the earlier predictions about her fate after leaving IMG. Now, with the official announcement of her leaving the agency she founded, the contrast with her former glory is all the more poignant.

Some say Naomi Osaka’s outcome was predictable, but Aryna Sabalenka’s move from IMG to the agency Osaka co-founded accelerated her sense of defeat and departure.

As the current world No.1 and four-time Grand Slam champion, Sabalenka’s career is still ascending. After joining Osaka’s agency Evolve, the Belarusian player’s value would naturally be maximized with the company’s full support, directing all the best resources toward her. This inevitably impacted Osaka greatly, making conflicts over resource allocation and company disputes unsurprising.

After leaving the agency she founded and becoming a “fallen figure,” Naomi Osaka emphasized in her farewell note that she would inform everyone about her next steps later. Now, insiders have leaked that she regrets leaving IMG and has decided to return to her former agency. Whether this news is true or not, the public awaits Osaka’s own confirmation or official announcement!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonriver’s Starry Sky)