Osaka drops NFT on Tom Brady co-founded Autograph, says NFL superstar inspires her as an athlete and entrepreneur

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka dropped her NFT (non-fungible token) as part of The Preseason Access collection on Autograph, the NFT platform cofounded by NFL superstar Tom Brady.

Osaka, the highest earning female athlete in the world currently, is also on the advisory board of Autograph, which serves as a platform to curate digital collectibles from several major brands and celebrities.

In an interview with PEOPLE magazine, Osaka spoke about her reasons for partnering with Brady and his venture. “Tom [Brady] inspires me in so many ways as an athlete and an entrepreneur,” the Japanese player said. “It seemed like a very cool opportunity, and when Tom Brady asked me to join the Advisory Board and create my own NFTs, I knew I couldn’t say no. There are some real sports legends working with Autograph – Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky – it’s pretty awesome to be in their company.”

In the interview, Osaka spoke about how she is inspired by Brady, who is considered by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time.

“Tom inspires me in so many ways as an athlete and an entrepreneur,” Osaka said. “He’s always rethinking the playbook and pushing boundaries while remaining so true to himself, which is something I try to do as well. He has led himself both on and off the field with grace and has been a great role model. I am excited to be a part of this and to continue to learn and grow in other areas of my life.”

Besdes, Osaka, NFTs from Brady himself as well as Wayne Gretzky, Tony Hawk, Derek Jeter, and Tiger Woods will also be part of the Preseason Access Collection.

Osaka returns to New York to defend her US Open title

Currently ranked No 3 in the world, Osaka is back in New York as she hopes to recapture the form that saw her win back-to-back hardcourt majors at the 2020 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open after a few difficult months on and off the court.

Since pulling out of her second-round match at Roland-Garros, Osaka has played in only two events – the Olympics and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, reaching the round of 16 in both events.

With Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Dominic Thiem and Sofia Kenin all having pulled out of the final Grand Slam of the season, Osaka will find even more of the spotlight on her in New York over the next two weeks.

The US Open kicks off on Monday and the draw is scheduled to be released on Thursday.

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