Naomi Osaka wins her second U.S. Open title with a powerful message
Written by laserteam on September 14, 2020
(Yahoo Life) – Naomi Osaka became a three-time Grand Slam champion this weekend after defeating Victoria Azarenka at the 2020 U.S. Open. Immediately following her big moment, the 22-year-old Tennis star made a powerful statement about Black Lives Matter.
The occasion also marks her third Grand Slam win, joining the ranks among legends Venus and Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber, and Kim Clijsters.
Following the match, Osaka bumped racquets with Azarenka and proceeded to lay on her back mid-court at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, soaking in her success while gazing at the sky. “I always see everyone sort of collapse after match point,” Osaka told reporters about the emotional moment, adding: “I’ve always wanted to see what they saw.”
In each of her seven matches, Osaka wore masks emblazoned with the names of Black victims of police brutality and racial injustice, including Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice.
