Seven games, seven masks – Osaka: “What message did you get?”



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Osaka converts the final against Azarenka after 1: 6 and 0: 2

Naomi Osaka stops Victoria Azarenka’s triumphant advance in the 2020 US Open final and secures her third Grand Slam title. Osaka won the New York final 1: 6, 6: 3, 6: 3.

13.09.2020

Naomi Osaka is 1: 6, 0: 2 behind in the US Open final against Victoria Asarenka. Then the Japanese turns the match around and secures her third Grand Slam trophy. Again send a strong statement against racism and police violence in the United States.

After her second US Open title, Naomi Osaka lays on her back for a long time in the nearly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I’ve always thought about it when I’ve seen great players sink to the ground and look up at the sky. I always wanted to see what they saw, ”the 22-year-old said of her 1: 6, 6: 3, 6: 3 win against Victoria Asarenka.

After nearly two hours, Osaka had previously won the varied and initially staggering duel between two former world No. 1s, despite being 1: 6, 0: 2 behind Asarenka, who was nine years older and won both of his world titles. Australian Open in 2012. and failed to score another Grand Slam trophy in 2013.

«It was a tough game for me. At some point I thought it would be embarrassing to lose in less than an hour, ”says Osaka after the third Grand Slam title. “It was really an incredible moment. I’m glad I did, ”Osaka explains about his pause moment, lying on his back.



Osaka also used her seventh appearance during the two-week tournament for a message in the fight against racism and police violence. This time, Tamir Rice’s name was on his mouth and nose mask, which he wore when he entered the field before the game, but not at the awards ceremony. Tamir Rice, then twelve, was shot and killed by a police officer in the American city of Cleveland in 2014. The boy had been playing with a toy gun in a parking lot.

Seven skins for seven games

His quick reaction to a question in the winner’s interview on the field drew a lot of attention, especially on social media. “They had seven masks for seven matches with seven different names. What message did you want to convey? Osaka was asked. And he replied to the journalist: “Well, what message did you receive?”

Osaka leaves participation in the French Open open

The 2018 and 2020 US Open winner and 2019 Australian Open winner are leaving open for now whether she will compete at the French Open in Paris in two weeks. “Before coming here, I had planned to play there, but I’ll see now,” says Osaka. Two weeks ago she had to cancel the final of the preparatory tournament that moved from Cincinnati to New York. During the US Open, she wore a bandage on her left thigh in every game. “I have not had time to recover. Let’s see what happens and how it feels when I take a break now, ”Osaka said. After the May move, the French Open will kick off on September 27 in Paris.



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