U.S. Open Champ Naomi Osaka Sports Kobe Bryant Jersey Post-Match: 'It Gave Me Strength'

Osaka, 22, honored the late Lakers legend after winning her second U.S. Open title and third career Grand Slam.

Hours after her come-from-behind victory over Victoria Azarenka in the U.S. Open Final, Naomi Osaka took to Instagram to give praise to one of her sources of inspiration: Kobe Bryant.

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Sporting Bryant's jersey, Osaka said of the late Lakers legend, "I wore this jersey every day after my matches. I truly think it gave me strength. Always 💛💜"

Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Osaka, 22, wore Bryant's jersey in her post-match press conference Saturday. She won her second U.S. Open and third career Grand Slam after dropping the first set of the final, 6-1. She took the next two sets by a score of 6-3, adding another notch in an already impressive career and further entrenching herself as one of the game's brightest stars.

After the match, Osaka was interviewed by ESPN's Tom Rinaldi, who asked Osaka about her customized masks bearing the names of victims of violence. Rinaldi asked her what message she intended to send by wearing the masks.

“Well, what was the message that you got, is more the question," Osaka said. "I feel like the point is to make people start talking.”

“You had seven matches, seven masks, seven names, what was the message you wanted to send?”

Naomi Osaka: “Well, what was the message that you got? I feel like the point is to make people start talking.”

(via @usopen) pic.twitter.com/GtKaNpe8zo

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 12, 2020

Osaka has won two of the last three U.S. Open tournaments, her first coming in 2018 when she defeated Serena Williams in straight sets. She also won the 2019 Australian Open, beating Petra Kvitová in three sets.