While playing in the 2025 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka, the Japanese-American tennis sensation, was miles away from the destructive fires affecting Los Angeles. However, she resides in L.A., and as the flames drew closer to her home, she needed assistance in retrieving essential items. Osaka reached out to someone near her house to collect her 1.5-year-old daughter Shai’s birth certificate.

Reports indicated that the fire was alarmingly close, just three blocks from her home. Fortunately, Shai was safe, traveling with Osaka on her tour, but Osaka wanted to secure the birth certificate in a safe location.

“I am incredibly thankful that my family is all safe,” Osaka mentioned during a post-match press conference. She won her match against French player Caroline Garcia in three sets on Monday, expressing her support for the Los Angeles community while wearing a Dodgers hat adorned with a red heart and a Lakers jersey.

“Sending all my love to L.A. We often hear about fires, but I wasn’t aware of their severity until now,” Osaka stated. “I hope everyone is managing well.”

Support from Fellow Tennis Stars for Los Angeles

Indeed. Notably, American player Coco Gauff and Croatian athlete Donna Vekic have shared uplifting messages on courtside cameras following their matches.

When is Osaka’s Next Match?

Osaka is scheduled to compete in her second-round match on Tuesday, January 14, against Karolina Muchova from Czechia, who is currently ranked 20th in the world.