Naomi Osaka emotionally wears Lakers sweater again at Grand Slams, remembers Kobe Bryant

Naomi Osaka is leaning on one of the NBA greats for strength. The two-time US Open champion defeated Serena Williams in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-final at Melbourne on Thursday and then paid tribute to her late mentor, Kobe Bryant, by wearing a Lakers sweater during her post-game press conference. Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others who were onboard the chopper. 

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Naomi Osaka pays tribute to NBA legend Kobe Bryant after defeating Serena Williams in Australian Open semifinals

Osaka was at her scintillating best when she beat seven-time Australian Open champion, Serena Williams, during their Australian Open semi-final clash at the Rod Laver Arena. With her third overall victory over Williams, Osaka reached her fourth major title match and stretched her winning streak to 20 matches. However, after the game, Osaka wore a vintage Los Angeles Lakers sweater — a seeming nod to her former mentor and NBA great, Kobe Bryant. 

While speaking to reporters, Osaka said, "For today, I felt like I needed some extra strength. That's kind of why I'm wearing this sweater." Osaka claimed that Bryant taught her the importance of "believing in yourself," and she still carries the five-time NBA champion's wisdom with her more than a year after his untimely death. "I just want to be the type of person that he (Bryant) thought I was going to be. He thought I was going to be great, so hopefully, I will be great in the future," she added.

However, this isn't the first time Osaka has donned Bryant memorabilia while competing in a tournament. During the US Open last year, Osaka regularly wore Bryant's jerseys, including a limited edition "Black Mamba" shirt after defeating Victoria Azarenka to clinch the women's singles title. "I wore this jersey every day after my matches. I truly think it gave me strength. Always," she wrote in an Instagram picture of herself while donning the Lakers jersey.

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Australian Open final live: Osaka vs Brady

Osaka will now face Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final at the Rod Laver Arena. American star Brady beat Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the other semifinal on Thursday. The Australian Open 2021 final will telecast live on the Sony Six channels. The live streaming of the final between Osaka and Brady will be available on the SonyLIV app as well as on its website. 

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Image Credits - Australian Open Twitter