Naomi Osaka demands France to provide reparations to Haiti after French Lawmaker asks US to return Statue of Liberty

Naomi Osaka is currently competing at the Miami Open and will meet Liudmila Samsonova in the tournament Round of 64.

Naomi Osaka demands France to provide reparations to Haiti after French Lawmaker asks US to return Statue of Liberty

Naomi Osaka (via X)

Tennis star Naomi Osaka, who is playing in the Miami Open, is speaking out for Haiti. She shared a post on X about French lawmaker Raphael Glucksmann. He stated that the U.S. should return the Statue of Liberty because it no longer represents its values. Osaka’s comment brings more attention to Haiti’s fight for reparations.

Haiti was once France’s richest colony. It became the first Black nation led by freed slaves. But France did not accept this. The country forced Haiti to pay 150 million francs for its independence. A report from The New York Times in 2022 found that this debt cost Haiti at least $21 billion over time.

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Since we’re trying to repossess things, can Haiti get their money back?

Naomi Osaka wrote on X

The U.S. also played a role in Haiti’s struggles. In 1914, U.S. Marines took $500,000 in gold from Haiti’s National Bank and sent it to New York. A year later, the U.S. occupied Haiti for 19 years. This made things worse for the country.

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These actions left Haiti in deep debt and hardship. The effects still hurt the country today. But the Haitian Revolution remains a powerful sign of Black freedom. It stands as a symbol of resistance against colonial rule.

Naomi Osaka hopes to play with the ‘big dogs’ again in her career

Naomi Osaka is working hard to get back to her best. She wants to compete with the top players again. Her return has been tough because of injuries and time away after having a baby.

Naomi Osaka (2)
Naomi Osaka (Image via X)

I want to play with the big dogs so bad, and I just see everyone playing so well, and I want to do the same. But I have to remember it’s a process.

Naomi Osaka said on her post-match press conference

In the first round of the Miami Open, Osaka made a strong comeback. She lost the first set and was behind in the second but fought back to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 against Yuliia Starodubtseva. This was her first victory since January. She had to quit her match at the Australian Open due to injury.

Osaka started the year well, reaching the Auckland final. She was leading in the match but had to stop because of an abdominal injury. The same issue forced her to retire in Melbourne against Belinda Bencic, another mother making a comeback.

Since then, Osaka struggled to win. She lost in the first round at Indian Wells to Camila Osorio, who had never won a main-draw match there. The Japanese star called it her worst performance ever. But after winning in Miami, she said that she learned from that tough defeat.

Naomi Osaka survives at the Miami Open

Naomi Osaka made a strong comeback on March 18, 2025, at the Miami Open. This was her first win in nearly two and a half months. She defeated Yulia Starodubtseva from Ukraine, who is ranked 108th in the world. The former World No.1 fought hard to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (via X)

The match was not easy for Osaka. She struggled in the first set, losing five games in a row and dropping it 3-6. In the second set, she was down 2-4 but turned things around. She won four straight games to take the set 6-4.

Osaka kept her momentum in the third set. She broke serve early and held her lead. Her strong play kept Starodubtseva from getting any break chances. After 2 hours and 28 minutes, Osaka secured the win. This was her first victory since beating Karolina Muchova at the Australian Open in January.

This is Osaka’s eighth time playing in the Miami Open. She reached the finals in 2022. After taking a break last year to recover from injuries, she returned at Indian Wells but lost in the first round.