Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka and the agency shuffle behind their Indian Wells meeting

Current world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faced off with former No. 1 Naomi Osaka this week at the BNP Paribas Open—and, as two of the most marketable women in tennis, their brands clashed in the boardroom too.

Osaka’s former longtime Stuart Duguid was seen sitting alongside Sabalenka’s team when the two played on Court One in the fourth round—a reminder of the behind-the-scenes business shuffle that took place during the offseason.

Last December, Osaka announced her departure from Evolve, the agency she co-founded with Duguid in 2021, after her contract expired in at the end of the year—Evolve being the same agency that Sabalenka signed with in January 2025 after leaving IMG. When asked about the move, Osaka told Bounces the project wasn't "what was promised."

Read More: Naomi Osaka is leaving the sports agency she co-founded

The Evolve roster also includes Nick Kyrgios, Ons Jabeur, Eva Lys, Iva Jovic and Terence Atmane.

Osaka herself announced she would be heading back to IMG—where Duguid had previously represented her from 2016–21. She is now reportedly represented by Max Eisenbud, a tennis super agent whose client list includes Maria Sharapova, Li Na and Emma Raducanu.

The former world No. 1 initially demurred on discussing the tangled situation.

“I’m (a) the player that doesn’t look anywhere during the match,” Osaka told press in Indian Wells. “I don’t notice people, I don’t hear things. I’m kind of just focused on the tennis. I kind of feel like that’s how it should be.”

Sabalenka, on brand, took a completely different approach—never shy about sharing her opinion.

“I just feel sorry for her that she moved from Evolve back to IMG. I don’t think that’s a smart decision to do,” Sabalenka said laughing.

“I’m happy,” she added. “I’m super happy that now all time that they were kind of, like, balancing between me and Naomi, now I get most of the time. I’m happy with that.”

Osaka grinned when told of Sabalenka’s comments. “Was she laughing when she said it?”

“Look, we’re two different people, for sure,” Osaka explained. “I think her experiences aren’t the same as mine, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, you know.

“For me, I have always loved IMG. I have been treated really well there, and the people there are really kind to me. I would recommend to IMG to people. I guess she wouldn’t.”

Sabalenka probably has good reason for that. She felt seriously undervalued for many of the last years she spent at the agency, and had been vocal about wanting to get more involved in projects involving fashion on and off court, as well as leaning into social media content creation, but there was little movement in that area.

Under Evolve, on the other hand, the Sabalenka brand has been growing rapidly, and it shows in her flourishing portfolio of endorsements, partnerships, events and appearances.

Read More: How Aryna Sabalenka is building a brand as powerful as her game

Just in the last few months, Sabalenka was announced as the first-ever tennis ambassador for Emirates airline and as a global brand ambassador for luxury fashion house Gucci. And during the offseason, Sabalenka—the year-end WTA world No. 1—also stayed on the lucrative exhibition circuit, competing against Osaka in the Garden Cup in New York City alongside Kyrgios and Tommy Paul, and taking part in the high-profile Battle of the Sexes against Kyrgios in Dubai.

Read More: Aryna Sabalenka departs IMG for Naomi Osaka's EVOLVE agency: "A multi-faceted icon with limitless potential"

Those combined efforts earned Sabalenka approximately $30 million in 2025, according to Forbes and Sportico, with about half of that coming from off-court income. The total made her the second-highest earning female athlete in the world and was nearly double what she earned in off-court endorsements the year before.

In 2024, Sabalenka earned $17.7 million—$9.7 million in prize money and $8 million in endorsements, according to Forbes.

Still, there’s a long way to go to reach Osaka’s peak. The Japanese star currently holds the all-time record for single-year earnings for a female athlete: $60 million in 2021, with $55 million coming from endorsements from brands like Nike, Louis Vuitton and TAG Heuer.

While Osaka might have the edge in the earnings head-to-head, Sabalenka is currently ahead in Indian Wells.

The No. 1 seed defeated No. 16 seed Osaka 6-2, 6-4 in the fourth round, then charged past Victoria Mboko in straight sets on Thursday to book her spot in the BNP Paribas Open semifinals.