The world’s highest-paid female athlete, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Western & Southern Open in New York because there are “much more important matters at hand” than watching her play tennis.
Before I am an 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 US Open warmup then announced there would be no play Thursday before resuming Friday.
It followed the Wednesday postponement of NBA, Major League Baseball, MLS and WNBA games in the aftermath of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin and subsequent protests.
“Hello, as many of you are aware I was scheduled to play my semifinals match tomorrow,” the two-time grand slam winner began. “However, before I am an 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.
“I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.
“Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.
“I’m exhausted of having a new hashtag pop up every few days and I’m extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again. When will it ever be enough?”
The 22-year-old ended her post with the hashtags, Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and George Floyd.
Osaka joined protests in Minneapolis in the days after Floyd’s death.
Visited memorial for Floyd
“We visited the George Floyd Memorial and connected with those who came together to mourn yet another senseless act and life lost without reason,” she wrote in Esquire in July. “Being on the ground in Minneapolis was what felt right at that moment.
“When I came back to Los Angeles, I signed petitions, I protested, and I donated, like many of us. But I kept asking myself what can I do to make this world a better place for my children? I decided it was time to speak up about systemic racism and police brutality.”
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) August 27, 2020