Naomi Osaka explains message behind mask names after U.S. Open title win
Japan's Naomi Osaka walks on court before her women's singles final match against Belarus' Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on Saturday. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka spoke Saturday after winning the U.S. Open title of the significance of wearing seven different masks honoring the names of Black victims of racial injustice.
Details: Osaka was asked after beating Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final to clinch her third Grand Slam singles title about the message she wanted to send with the masks protest. Osaka replied, "What was the message you got is more the question. I feel like the point was to make people start talking." She noted at the contest's start "it's quite sad that seven masks isn't enough for the amount of names" of Black victims of violence.