

- During the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday, tennis star Naomi Osaka made a surprise appearance to light the Olympic cauldron.
- The 23-year-old, four-time grand slam champion was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian-American father and is competing in the Olympics for the first time this year.
- "Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life," Osaka wrote on Instagram of the honor. "I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness."
Naomi Osaka played an important role in the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo Friday night. The 23-year-old tennis star had the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron and officially kicking off the summer games.
Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father is Haitian-American, was born in Japan and moved to the United States when she was three years old. The four-time grand slam champion competing in the Olympics for the first time this year, making her debut in her home country.
While her appearance at the end of the opening ceremony was a surprise, some did catch a major hint that Osaka might be participating in the cauldron-lighting ceremony when, earlier on Friday, Olympic organizers requested to have her opening match pushed back from Saturday to Sunday, according to CNN.
On Friday, Osaka took to Instagram to share what the honor meant to her. "Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life," she captioned a series of photos commemorating the moment. "I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness ❤️ love you guys thank you."
A post shared by 大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka)
A photo posted by on
In a followup post featuring video of her lighting the cauldron, Osaka wrote, "still trying to wrap my head around what just happened, crazy."
A post shared by 大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka)
A photo posted by on
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, covering celebrity and entertainment news, from actual royals like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle to Hollywood royalty, like Katie Holmes and Chrissy Teigen. She’s a Ravenclaw who would do great things in Slytherin. To learn more about her, google “Leslie Knope eating salad GIF.
-
The 'Bling Empire' Season 2 Cast: Your Guide
Kevin, Kane, Anna, and the rest of the gang are back.
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Meghan Markle Shared a Poignant Message About Working Moms as She Calls for More Childcare Support
Archewell is supporting the "National Business Coalition for Child Care."
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Kanye West Told Kim Kardashian She Was Dressed Like Marge Simpson and Her Career Was Over After the WSJ Innovator Awards
This is awful.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
By Bianca Rodriguez
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
By The Editors
-
Surprise! Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Are Parents
They welcomed a baby via surrogate.
By Neha Prakash
-
Serena Williams' Daughter Olympia Is a Tennis Champ In-The-Making
She is only 4!!!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Meghan and Harry Share First Photo of Their Daughter Lilibet Diana
The Sussex's holiday card is here!
By Rachel Epstein
-
The 50 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes Ever
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Alicia Keys Gets What She Wants
With her jazzy new album, Keys, the singer stopped worrying about everything except what matters: Her own opinion.
By Jessica Herndon
-
Brooke Shields on Reinventing Yourself, Making Friends in Your 40s, and More
The actress and CEO shared inspiring advice during a panel at 'Marie Claire's' "Power Trip: Off the Grid" conference.
By Rachel Epstein