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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday August 26, 2020

 
Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka has announced her she will not play her Western and Southern Open semi-final in the name of racial justice.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Naomi Osaka, the world’s highest-paid female athlete, has announced she will not play her Western and Southern Open semi-final in the name of racial justice. Osaka is joining the protests that are currently happening across multiple professional sports in America. The Japanese star took to social media to explain her reasoning.


“Before I am an athlete I am a black woman,” Osaka wrote on social media. “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.”

Protests across America are happening in reaction to the latest incident of police violence against a black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In its aftermath, two protesters were killed in a shooting last night.

Osaka was slated to face Elise Mertens in the first match on Grandstand on Thursday.

UPDATE: The Western and Southern Open has announced a pause in play on Thursday, and says it will resume the tournament Friday.


It is not clear at this moment if Osaka will play her semi-final then.

 

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