Naomi Osaka Says “She’s A Black Woman First” As She Pulls Out Of Western And Southern Open

On Wednesday, Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka reached the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open. She, however, pulled out of the tournament as a mark of protest over the recent killing of 29-year-old Jacob Blake.

Key Highlights

• Tennis sensation Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Western and Southern Open tournament after her quarterfinals win.
• She pulled out as a mark of protest against the killing of Jacob Blake, an African-American.
• The 29-year-old was allegedly shot seven times by American police officer on Sunday
• Many sports events were paused to mark their protest

Osaka tweeted, “Hello, as many of you are aware I was scheduled to play my semifinals match tomorrow. 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.” She further added, “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? #JacobBlake, #BreonnaTaylor, #ElijahMcclain, #GeorgeFloyd.”

“As a sport, tennis is collectively taking a stance against racial inequality and social injustice that once again has been thrust to the forefront in the United States. The USTA, ATP Tour, and WTA have decided to recognize this moment in time by pausing tournament play at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday, Aug. 27,” the organizations said in a statement.

Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old, African American man, was allegedly shot seven times by an American police officer on Sunday in front of his three children. The video was made by Raysean White, and Blake is seen entering his SUV when an officer grabs his tank top. Later, seven shots are heard. The video went viral as people took to the streets to protest.