Naomi Osaka Launches Evolve Sports Agency, Leaves IMG After 6 Years: 'Natural Next Step'

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Naomi Osaka is making moves on and off the court!

The tennis star, 24, is cutting ties with IMG after six years and is starting her own sports agency, Evolve, with the help of her agent, Stuart Duguid. Sportico was the first to report the news.

"I've spent my career doing things my way, even when people told me that it wasn't what was expected or traditional, Evolve is the natural next step in my journey as both an athlete and businesswoman," Osaka told the outlet via NPR.

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Evolve isn't the first venture for the Olympic athlete.

Osaka launched her skincare line, KINLÒ, in 2021, and introduced her Play Academy program in 2020, which aims to empower girls and young women through sports.

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"We believe that all kids — especially girls — deserve a chance to play, no matter where they come from or what they look like," Osaka previously told PEOPLE in 2021. "The more we provide girls with opportunities to get active, the more opportunities we are giving them to become leaders in their communities."

"For me, building Play Academy was not just about impacting others and encouraging young girls in sports; it is about raising awareness, and so creating a website shines a light on the work we do," Osaka recently told PEOPLE of launching Play Academy's new website.

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Not only is Osaka one of the highest paid female athletes in the world, she's also an outspoken and applauded mental health advocate.

In an interview with SELF for their May issue in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the four-time Grand Slam champion got candid about her personal journey with anxiety and depression, telling the magazine that after her decision to voluntarily withdraw from the French Open last year, other athletes began sharing their stories with her.

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Osaka made headlines after citing her need to prioritize her emotional well-being as the reason for withdrawing from the tournament in a lengthy announcement posted to Instagram. Osaka told SELF that the reaction to her announcement came as a shock.

"After I opened up about struggles … I spoke to a lot of athletes that told me they too had quietly been suffering," she said.

"I feel comfortable in who I am and where I have come from," she later told the magazine. "There have been ups and downs and I wouldn't change a thing, which really helps to give me inner peace."