Even the butterflies love tennis star Naomi Osaka

Title or no title, the world number three is set to emerge from the Australian Open more popular than ever.

A butterfly lands on Naomi Osaka as she plays Ons Jabeur on day five of the Australian Open. Picture: Paul Crock

Naomi Osaka. World number three, Louis Vuitton ambassador... butterfly whisperer?

In her third round match against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia last week, Japan’s biggest tennis star Naomi Osaka was on the receiving end of some powerful attention from a Monarch butterfly.

And it wasn’t just a drive-by (fly-by?) The orange winged creature fluttered around the tennis player for the majority of the match. Evidently, it was a good omen.

Osaka defeated Jabeur in straight sets.

As one of the sports most popular figures, who had a couple of stints at the top ranking in the womens’ game in 2019, it’s a powerful metaphor.

She has pointed to a lack of recognition around her achievements, saying last week “I just kept trying to prove myself.

“I felt like that wasn’t really a good mindset to have (but) right now I’m at a really good place.”

Since beating Serena Williams in that infamous US Open final in 2018, Osaka, who is now based in Beverly Hills, California, has proven herself a fearless class act, climbing both the ATP tour rankings while cementing her status as one of modern sport’s most socially engaged stars.

Last year, as the Black Lives Matter movement radiated across the globe, she would arrive at her US Open matches wearing face masks imprinted with the names of Black Americans who had been killed at the hand of police.

The butterfly and Japan's Naomi Osaka. Picture: Paul Crock.

When asked by a reporter what message she wanted to send, Osaka, 23, responded: “Well, what was the message that you got was more the question. I feel like the point is to make people start talking.”

While Osaka has been opting for a more minimal mask at this year’s Australian open, her demeanour on the court has been just as impressive (only one of her four matches so far has gone to a third set).

Naomi Osaka looks on as a butterfly lands on her face in her Women's Singles third round match against Ons Jabeur on day five of the 2021 Australian Open. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Osaka is one of several players looking to challenge Ash Barty’s fiercely guarded top ranking — although No.2 Simona Halep is also a formidable obstacle.

The butterfly moment happened on the last day crowds were permitted at the tournament and they went wild. When the winged creature refused to leave the player’s side during a serve, a cool-headed Osaka paused, cupped the butterfly in her hand and took it over to the sideline.

Those who weren’t there to witness the godsend in real life lapped it up on Twitter, with one user asking whether it might be Osaka’s new good luck charm.

Butterfly or no butterfly, Osaka seems to be moving through this competition with enviable ease. On Tuesday she’ll face off against Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan in the quarterfinal, who, at 35, just became the oldest woman to make her major quarter-final debut in the professional era.

Su-wei is quick and determined. But does she have the butterfly touch?

Naomi Osaka and a butterfly went exactly as you'd imagine#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ckXtTwDrZZ

— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) February 12, 2021