Naomi Osaka addressed a sudden and surprising shift in her off-court career this week, confirming that she will part ways with Evolve, the boutique sports and talent agency she co-founded just three years ago. In a brief worded message, the four-time Grand Slam champion framed the decision as the close of one chapter rather than a rupture, thanking those involved while making it clear she is already looking ahead.
Naomi Osaka Signals a Forward-Looking Mindset in Evolve Announcement
The split carries added weight given what Evolve represented when it launched in May 2022. Osaka created the agency alongside her longtime agent, Stuart Duguid, after leaving IMG at the end of 2021, publicly positioning the move as a way for elite athletes to have more control over their careers, brands, and investments.
Rather than operating like a traditional talent firm, Evolve was designed as a selective platform focused on business development, brand strategy, and long-term ventures beyond sport. Osaka and Duguid both held equity stakes, and the agency quickly became a talking point in tennis circles as a modern alternative to legacy management companies.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg recently indicated that Osaka’s own management agreement with Evolve is expected to end later this year, with Duguid set to continue leading the company and overseeing its remaining athletes. Those same reports suggest Osaka is preparing to return to IMG ahead of the 2026 season, signaling a reunion with the firm she once left to chart her own path.
Osaka confirmed the development herself in a message shared on Instagram, writing that she would be parting ways with Evolve starting in the new year. “Hi everyone, writing this to say starting in the new year I’ll be parting ways with Evolve,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“It’s been a great run and I’m so grateful for all the memories shared. When I make my decision on where I’ll go next, you’ll hear it from me. Thank you for supporting me always and I’m so excited for the year ahead!”
View this post on Instagram
Which High-Profile Athletes Have Joined Evolve Since 2022?
Since its launch, Evolve has assembled an eye-catching roster that underscored its ambitions. Nick Kyrgios became the agency’s first marquee signing, followed by Ons Jabeur as the client list expanded. In recent seasons, the agency added WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, along with players such as Anna Kalinskaya, Eva Lys, Iva Jović, and Terence Atmane.
The timing of Osaka’s announcement coincides with Evolve’s growing profile in the sport, including its role in organizing the upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition in Dubai on Dec. 28, 2025, featuring Kyrgios and Sabalenka. Framed as a modern callback to the 1973 Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs match, the event comes amid increasingly complex and politicized debates about gender and fairness in sports.
Critics argue that reviving the concept risks turning a landmark moment in women’s sports into mere entertainment and could invite comparisons that diminish women’s achievements.
