Naomi Osaka , Beats Azarenka For 2nd US Open Title


Naomi Osaka! At just 22, she has won the US Open for the second time .Osaka, a 22-year-old born in Japan and now based in the United States, arrived for Saturday’s match wearing a mask with the name of Tamir Rice, a Black 12-year-old boy killed by police in Ohio in 2014. Calling attention to racial injustice, Osaka honored other Black victims of violence throughout the U.S. Open with masks honoring Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Philando Castile.

Last month, Osaka refused to compete after the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, in Wisconsin — she said she would withdraw from her semifinal at the Western & Southern Open, although decided to play after the tournament took a full day off in solidarity.

Osaka and her coach, Wim Fissette — who used to work with Azarenka — have said they think the off-court activism has helped her energy and mindset in matches.