Being on SI swimsuit cover is a dream for Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka is proud to become the first Japanese and Haitian woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine. Osaka joins the list of women like American model Tyra Banks, who in 1997 created history as the first black woman to appear on the cover alone and singer Beyonce, who featured on the 2007 cover.

"My memories [of the magazine] kind of involves the people that I grew up admiring, so I remember Tyra Banks's issue, I remember Beyonce's. Just growing up and watching so many incredible women grace this cover, for me, it feels like a dream.

"I'm so proud to be the first Japanese and Haitian woman to grace one of the covers. I feel like that multi-cultural background is present in all of the things that I do. I try to incorporate it in everything, so hopefully, you see that," the World No. 2 told the magazine.

Also Read: Bajrang Punia: I want to win an Olympic medal in Tokyo badly