Tennis star Naomi Osaka, who sat out Wimbledon this year and withdrew from the French Open in the wake of a controversy surrounding her decision to skip mandatory postmatch news conferences, is among the athletes scheduled to attend The ESPYS on Saturday in New York.
The 23-year-old Osaka, who has said she has been dealing with anxiety and depression since winning the first of her four Grand Slam titles at the 2018 US Open, is scheduled to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics later this month.
She is among the nominees for Best Athlete, Women's Sports and Best Athlete, Women's Tennis at The ESPYS (ABC, 8 p.m. ET).
Other high-profile athletes expected to attend The ESPYS include DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona Cardinals), Rob Gronkowski (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Sarah Fuller (Vanderbilt football), Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga men's basketball), Paige Bueckers (UConn women's basketball), Amanda Nunes (UFC), Betnijah Laney (New York Liberty) and Julius Randle (New York Knicks). National champions Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma softball), Jared Butler (Baylor men's basketball) and DeVonta Smith (Alabama football) headline a large contingent of NCAA stars expected to travel to New York. Coaching legends Roy Williams and Tara VanDerveer are scheduled to be in attendance as well.
Previously announced honorees scheduled to attend include Chris Nikic (Jimmy V Award for Perseverance recipient) and Maya Moore (Arthur Ashe Award for Courage recipient).
The 2021 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will be hosted by actor and producer Anthony Mackie. Peloton superstar instructor Ally Love will be the show's behind-the-scenes host, and former NFL star Vernon Davis will serve as the voice of The ESPYS.