Naomi Osaka to endorse Nissan for next three years

Nissan has appointed the Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka as its brand ambassador as it looks to build awareness of its electric vehicles and appeal to a younger generation of drivers.

The Japanese carmaker’s alignment with 20-year-old Osaka follows her victory over Serena Williams in the US Open to become the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament. The contract is for three years and will involve global advertising campaigns.

Osaka also works with Nissin, Citizen, Wowow, Adidas and Yonex. Osaka’s unusual acceptance speech at the US Open trophy ceremony, in which she apologised for beating the favourite, generated almost as much media interest as the win itself.