Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, has ended her association with Evolve, the sports management agency she helped launch three years ago.
Osaka founded Evolve in 2022 alongside Stuart Duguid after her deal with IMG concluded the previous year. Duguid also departed IMG to establish the agency, which has since signed high-profile players including women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios. Sabalenka and Kyrgios are set to face each other in a Battle of the Sexes exhibition in Dubai later this month—an event that has drawn criticism over its potential implications for women’s tennis and Kyrgios’ prominent role. Speaking earlier this month to Piers Morgan, both players described the match as entertainment and a promotional opportunity for the sport.
Evolve’s client list also features three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur, emerging American prospect Iva Jović, Germany’s Eva Lys, and former world No. 11 Anna Kalinskaya.
Osaka confirmed her departure in a social media post on Friday. “Starting in the new year I’ll be parting ways with Evolve,” she wrote. “It’s been a great run and I’m incredibly thankful for all the memories. When I decide where I’m headed next, I’ll share it myself. Thank you always for your support, I’m really excited for what’s ahead.”
Duguid declined to comment. He and Osaka also co-founded Hana Kuma, a production company responsible for a documentary on Osaka and for Kyrgios’ podcast, Good Trouble.
The separation, first reported by Bounces, follows a strong year on the court for Osaka. Between 2018 and 2021, she captured four major titles and reached world No. 1 before stepping away from tennis to focus on her mental health, and later to give birth to her daughter, Shai, in 2023. During her peak years, she became the highest-paid female athlete in history, earning more than $37 million in prize money and endorsements in 2019 and over $50 million in 2020, according to Sportico.
Osaka returned at the start of the 2024 season and experienced mixed results. Her form stabilized in 2025, particularly on hard courts, after appointing Tomasz Wiktorowski the former coach of six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek. She reached the Canadian Open final and the U.S. Open semifinals, rising to a post-maternity high of world No. 14 in September. Currently ranked No. 16, Osaka will aim to secure a third Australian Open title in January.
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