Brands beguiled as Osaka aces the marketing game

TOKYO - Naomi Osaka used a powerful forehand and a matching serve to win the US Open against Serena Williams. Off the court - on the marketing front - experts say she could have the same potential as Williams, and maybe more.

"It's very, very rare to find a Japanese-born female athlete who appeals to an international audience," said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert and creative director at Baker Street Advertising in San Francisco, California.

Serena Williams topped the Forbes list of the highest-earning female athletes this year at $18 million, almost all endorsements. Experts say Osaka could be the right woman in the right sport at the right time to overtake the American.