At the 2020 U.S. Open, Naomi Osaka beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final round of the Women’s Singles match. This is the her third Grand Slam title, which includes the 2018 U.S. Open and the 2019 Australian Open.
Based in Los Angeles, Osaka represents Japan when she plays professionally. Her mother, Tamaki Osaka is Japanese and her father, Leonard Francois, is Haitian. On August 26, she publicly stated: “Before I am a athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.”
The 22-year-old posted the powerful statement on her social media, in English and in Japanese. She was responding to the continued violence towards Black people in America and joined several professional athletes in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Washington.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates with the trophy after winning her Women’s Singles final match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day Thirteen of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 12, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
“Watching the continued genocide of black people at the hand of police is honestly making me sick to my stomach… I’m extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again. When will it ever be enough?” Osaka continued, explaining her decision to sit out the semifinal match last month.
During the seven final matches of the U.S. Open, Osaka walked onto the courts at Arthur Ashe stadium wearing a face mask in support of Black Lives Matter. Since September 1, she’s worn a customized mask commemorating the name of a Black person murdered by violence. For today’s final match, her custom mask said “Tamir Rice,” the 12-year-old who was killed by Cleveland police officer who thought the toy pellet gun Rice was holding was real.
Moments after her third Grand Slam win, Osaka was asked about the message she wanted to convey wearing seven masks with seven names to her final matches and she responded: “What was the message you got, is more of the question. I feel the point is to make people start talking.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Naomi Osaka of Japan walks on court in front of virtual fans before her Women’s Singles final match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on Day Thirteen of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 12, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Osaka does have people talking. After an earlier U.S. Open match, ESPN played a special message from Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother, who thanked her for wearing the name of her son. She wished Osaka well and to continue to “kick butt at the U.S. Open.” Ahmaud Arbery’s father Marcus Arbery also sent a message thanking her for her public support.
After her @USOpen match tonight, @ESPN showed @NaomiOsaka video messages from @SybrinaFulton, mother of #TrayvonMartin, and Marcus Arbery, father of #AhmaudArbery — two of the five names she’s worn on masks before and after her matches. #SayTheirNames pic.twitter.com/1BOyzQbzg9
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 9, 2020
The tennis star responded to the heartfelt message by saying, “I feel that I’m a vessel at this point in order to spread awareness and hopefully it won’t dull the pain, but help with anything that they need.”
But Osaka did take note from Sybrina Fulton’s message and she did kick butt on the court. Sports giant Lebron James congratulated her epic win by tweeting “GREAT COMEBACK.”
GREAT COMEBACK!! Congrats @naomiosaka! 
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 12, 2020
Congratulations Naomi!
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