Western & Southern Open: Naomi Osaka pulls out of semis to protest racial injustice
Her decision follows protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
- Osaka's decision follows protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
- The Japanese tennis star defeated Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-2,7-5 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.
- Two-time Grand Slam champion Osaka was due to face Elise Mertens in the last-four of the Western and Southern Open.
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Naomi Osaka pulled out of the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament on Wednesday in protest at racial injustice.
Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and Haitian father and has been a vocal supporter of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, said in a social media post: "Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman".
Her decision follows protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
Earlier on Wednesday, the National Basketball Association postponed three playoff games after the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their playoff series against Orlando Magic in protest over racial injustice.
In Osaka`s statement, posted on Twitter, she said she was making the decision to move the conversation forward.
"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," the world number 10 wrote.
"I don`t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.
"Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach."
Osaka beat Anett Kontaveit 4-6, 6-2,7-5 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals, where the two-time Grand Slam champion was due to face Elise Mertens.
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