Champ Naomi Osaka fires message and a promise to the 'keep politics out of sports' brigade

Naomi Osaka, who won the US Open 2020 title, has said that those who advised her to keep politics out of sports have inspired her to win her third grand slam. Osaka, a staunch supporter of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, took to Twitter to fire a direct volley on those who may have asked her to keep away from the politics surrounding the BLM movement and concentrate on Tennis. 

Naomi Osaka's 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Victoria Azarenka on Saturday secured her US Open 2020 title. With 3 Grand Slam triumphs in her belt, the 22-year-old is all set to lead tennis. Following her win, Osaka is now third in the latest WTA Rankings announced on Monday.

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Naomi Osaka during the tournament not only encouraged the usage of masks but also advocated for the Black Lives Matter movement. Amid the debate over the use of masks in the US, she wore seven different masks with the names of 7 people of colour who were victims of police brutality and died due to racial injustice. For seven matches, she wore masks with the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice are the seven black people who lost their lives to racial discrimination. She had also posted a tweet ahead of the US Open tournament to bring the attention back on the subject of police brutality against the men of colour.

Images of Osaka wearing masks with the names of those killed due to violent racism and police brutality: 

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Obama praises Osaka:

After Osaka's victory, Former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama also praised the ace Tennis player and said that she is proud of Osaka. While the two-time US Open winner dominated on the court, her off-court activism and vocal support of the Black Lives Matter movement has also won hearts. While the people debated over sports proving as a distraction over the social justice movement and protests, Osaka used it as a motivation to clinch her second US Open title. 

(Image credits: Twitter | @naomiosaka)