Tag: Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka had a brutally honest answer about her U.S. Open final comeback win

Naomi Osaka struggled initially but came back to win her third Grand Slam title.

Naomi Osaka is now a three-time Grand Slam champion after beating Victoria Azarenka, 1-6, 6-3, 5-3, on Saturday in a thrilling three-set U.S. Open final. The 22-year-old star is now 2-for-2 in U.S. Open finals after beating Serena Williams in 2018 to win her first major championship.

But initially, things didn’t look for Osaka.

Azarenka got off to a dominant start, breaking Osaka twice and winning the fast, 26-minute first set. But Osaka came back in the second and third, partly by capitalizing on some of Azarenka’s mistakes to come back.

In fact, after the match, ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi told Osaka on the court that she’s the first finalist since 1994 to lose the opening set but still win the match. It’s also the first time in 20 years a female player has won her first three Grand Slam finals going back to Jennifer Capriati in 2000 and 2001, as Chris McKendry later noted in the post-match broadcast.

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So when Rinaldi asked Osaka how she was able to fight back, she gave a brutal and honest answer:

“For me, I just thought it would be very embarrassing to lose this in under an hour, so I just have to try as hard as I can and stop having a really bad attitude.”

It wouldn’t have been great, considering Osaka entered as the tournament favorite. And after Azarenka came out firing with a 6-1 first-set win in under half an hour, there was suddenly it seemed like the match wouldn’t last much longer than 60 minutes.

But Osaka improved, particularly on her serve, as the match went on, and the second two sets were closer than the scores suggest.

As Azarenka — a two-time Grand Slam champ who is not 0-for-3 in U.S. Open finals — accepted her runner-up trophy, she joked she hopes she and Osaka will meet again in another finals match. Understandably, though, Osaka felt a bit different.

More from the winner’s post-match time at the mic:

“I want to congratulate Vika. I actually don’t want to play you in more finals. I didn’t really enjoy that. It was a really tough match for me, and it’s real inspiring for me because I used to watch you play here when I was younger, so just to have the opportunity to play you is really great, and I learned a lot.”

Osaka also briefly addressed the different masks she’s worn to her matches to raise awareness about Black people who were killed by police and victims of racism and prejudice. At the beginning of the tournament, she said she had seven different masks for what she hoped would be seven U.S. Open matches, and her mask for the final had Tamir Rice’s name on it.

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Asked about her masks countless times throughout the tournament. When Rinaldi asked what message she was trying to send, she replied:

“Well, ‘What was the message that you got?’ was more the question. I feel like the point is to make people start talking. …

“I’ve been inside of the bubble, so I’m not really sure what’s really going on in the outside world. All I can tell is what’s going on is on social media. And for me, I feel like the more retweets it gets — that’s so lame, but the more people talk about it.”

Other names printed on Osaka’s U.S. Open masks included Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd and Philando Castile.

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2020 U.S. Open Women’s Final, Naomi Osaka vs. Victoria Azarenka Live Stream U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open, Women’s Final is live from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open Women’s Final will take place on Saturday afternoon from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

US Open, Women’s Final

Naomi Osaka vs. Victoria Azarenka

  • When: Saturday, September 12
  • Live Coverage: 4:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

US Open 2020 schedule

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

2020 U.S. Open, Men’s Doubles Final Live Stream, U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open, Men’s Doubles Final is live from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open Men’s Doubles Final will take place on Thursday from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

US Open, Men’s Doubles Final

Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic vs Mate Pavic/Bruno Soares

  • When: Thursday, September 10
  • Live Coverage: 3:00 p.m. ET
  • Live Stream: ESPN+ (stream now)

Featured Matches, Women’s Semifinals

US Open 2020 schedule

Women’s Semifinals, Men’s Doubles Final

  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET
  • Friday, Sept. 11, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Naomi Osaka’s moving response to messages from parents of Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery

“I feel like I’m a vessel at this point,” Naomi Osaka said about her face masks at the U.S. Open.

At her U.S. Open quarterfinals match Tuesday, Naomi Osaka wore a black face mask with George Floyd’s name written on it.

At her fourth-round match Sunday, she wore a similar mask with Trayvon Martin’s name. In the third round, it was Ahmaud Arbery, in the second it was Elijah McClain, and in the first it was Breonna Taylor.

The 22-year-old two-time Grand Slam champ has been using her platform at the tournament to raise awareness about Black people who were killed by police and victims of racism and prejudice. She’s said she has seven masks with seven names, one for every round of the tournament, should she continue to advance.

“I’m aware that tennis is watched all over the world, and maybe there is someone that doesn’t know Breonna Taylor’s story,” Osaka said after her first-round victory, via The Washington Post. “Maybe they’ll Google it or something. For me, [it’s] just spreading awareness. I feel like the more people know the story, then the more interesting or interested they’ll become in it.”

And Tuesday during her post-match interview following her quarterfinals victory over Shelby Rogers, Osaka, the tournament’s No. 4 seed, watched videos messages from the parents of Martin and Arbery thanking her for her efforts.

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Martin, said:

“I just want to say thank you to Naomi Osaka for representing Trayvon Martin on your customized mask, and also for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Continue to do well, continue to kick butt at the U.S. Open. Thank you.”

Immediately after, a message Marcus Arbery Sr., Ahmaud Arbery’s father, came on:

“I just want to tell you thank you for the support on my family, and God bless you for what you’re doing and you’re supporting our family with my son. And my family really, really appreciates that, and God bless you.”

Martin was a 17-year-old Black teenager who was walking alone when a neighborhood watch volunteer — who was later acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges — shot and killed him in 2012 in Florida. Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was jogging in Georgia in February when he was also shot and killed, and three white men have been charged with his murder.

(Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

After watching the video messages from the victims’ parents, Osaka was clearly touched and briefly struggled to find the right words. She later said that she was just trying not to cry, but in that moment, she responded to video messages by saying:

“It means a lot. I feel like — I don’t know. They’re so strong. I’m not sure what I would be able to do if I was in their position. But, I don’t know. I feel like I’m a vessel at this point, and in order to spread awareness and hopefully — it’s not going to dull the pain — but hopefully I can, you know, help with anything that they need.”

More about Osaka’s moving reaction from New York Times tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg:

Osaka also responded on Twitter:

After beating Rogers in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Osaka will face No. 28 seed Jennifer Brady in the semifinals Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

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2020 U.S. Open, Quarterfinals Live Stream, U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open, Quarterfinals will begin on Tuesday live from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open Quarterfinals will begin on Tuesday from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

US Open, Quarterfinals

  • When: Tuesday, September 8
  • Live Coverage: 12:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Featured Matches, Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals

  • Veronika Kudermetova/Anna Blinkova vs. Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva – noon ET
  • Naomi Osaka vs. Shelby Rogers – 7 p.m. Live Streaming: ESPN+

US Open 2020 schedule

Quarterfinals

  • Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Wednesday, Sept. 9, Noon – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Semifinals, Men’s Doubles Final

  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET
  • Friday, Sept. 11, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

2020 U.S. Open, Round of 16 Live Stream, U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open will continue on Monday with the round of 16 from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open Round of 16 will continue on Monday from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

2020 US Open, Round of 16

  • When: Monday, September 7
  • Time: 11:00 a.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Featured Matches, Round of 16

  • Serena Williams vs. Maria Sakkari – 2 p.m. Live Streaming: ESPN+

US Open 2020 schedule

Round of 16

  • Sunday, Sept. 6 – Monday, Sept. 7, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Quarterfinals

  • Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Wednesday, Sept. 9, Noon – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Semifinals, Men’s Doubles Final

  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET
  • Friday, Sept. 11, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

2020 U.S. Open, Round of 16 Live Stream, U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open will continue on Sunday with the round of 16 from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open Round of 16 will begin on Sunday from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

2020 US Open, Round of 16

  • When: Friday, September 4
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN2
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Featured Matches, Round of 16

US Open 2020 schedule

Round of 16

  • Sunday, Sept. 6 – Monday, Sept. 7, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Quarterfinals

  • Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Wednesday, Sept. 9, Noon – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Semifinals, Men’s Doubles Final

  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET
  • Friday, Sept. 11, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

2020 U.S. Open Third Round Live Stream, U.S. Open Tennis Schedule, Odds, TV Channel, Start Time

The 2020 U.S. Open will continue on Friday with the second round from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.

The 2020 U.S. Open began on Monday from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.  This is only the second major to take place in 2020 and this normally being New York City’s Grand Slam will also be the final major of the year.

Some of the biggest names in tennis will miss the tournament this time around including both the men’s and women’s singles champions from 2019, Rafael Nadal and Bianca Andreescu have withdrawn. Roger Federer will also miss the tournament due to knee surgery.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to follow the U.S. Open including the upcoming schedule.

2020 US Open, Third Round

  • When: Friday, September 4
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN, ESPN Deportes
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Featured Matches, Second Round

US Open 2020 schedule

First Round

  • Monday, Aug. 31 – Tuesday, Sept. 1, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Second Round

  • Wednesday, Sept – Thursday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Third Round

  • Friday, Sept. 4 – Saturday, Sept. 5, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Round of 16

  • Sunday, Sept. 6 – Monday, Sept. 7, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Quarterfinals

  • Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Wednesday, Sept. 9, Noon – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Semifinals, Men’s Doubles Final

  • Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET
  • Friday, Sept. 11, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Women’s Final

  • Saturday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m – 7 p.m.

Men’s Final

  • Sunday, Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

US Open Odds and Betting Lines

US Open odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Want some action on the US Open? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Naomi Osaka pulls out of tournament semifinal with powerful message for racial justice

“I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.”

On Wednesday night tennis star Naomi Osaka announced she would not play in the semifinals of the WTA Western & Southern Open on Thursday, in protest of the “continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police.”

The organizers of the ATP tournament then announced they were pausing the tournament until Friday. It is unclear if Osaka will play on the following day.

Osaka’s powerful post stated that “before I am a[n] 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.”

On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their playoff game in response to the shooting death of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. WNBA teams did the same, multiple MLB games were boycotted by players, and all but one MLS game was called off by players in response to the shooting.

Here is Osaka’s post, which was also translated into Japanese.

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Naomi Osaka is hilariously roasting people who tell her to stick to sports

Please brace yourselves for some good Twitter burns

Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has always had a way with words, whether it’s deftly charming press during interviews or showcasing her quick wit on her Twitter feed.

Over the past week, Osaka, who is Japanese-American and of Haitian descent, has been vocal on Twitter about the events surrounding the death of George Floyd.  She has posted the video of Floyd’s killing at the hands of police officers, has been active in calling out the tennis community for their response, and voicing her opinions, stating, “Just because it isn’t happening to you doesn’t mean it isn’t happening at all.”

Of course, for any athlete that speaks up about racial or political issues, there’s the chorus of people who come back at them and say that they should “stick to sports.”

Unfortunately for those losers, Osaka is delightfully roasting them on her Twitter feed.

First off, who doesn’t love a good Ikea burn.

There was also this dude who tried to accuse her of being racist towards white people.

And this guy, who said sports and politics don’t mix.

You’re gonna have to click through to get the full joke on that last one, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Osaka shouldn’t have to deal with these nobodies on her feed, and even roasting trolls takes up time and space, but I thank her for dolling out some much needed internet burns.

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