Naomi Osaka voted as the AP Female Athlete of Year

Naomi Osaka voted as the AP Female Athlete of Year
Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka has been one of the most outspoken players on tour, voicing her opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement fearlessly and also being a part of several movements. To reward Naomi for her activism and her performances on court during 2020, she was voted as the AP Female Athlete of the year. Naomi Osaka won her third Grandslam title at the US Open this year and spoke out fearlessly against racial injustice and police brutality.

Naomi Osaka collected 18 out of 35 first place votes and a total of 71 points. WNBA Finals MVP Breanna Stewart was second with nine first-place votes and 60 points, followed by Sarah Fuller, the Vanderbilt soccer player, who finished with one first place vote and 24 points.

“It was difficult to be isolated from my family for large parts of the year, but that’s nothing compared to others. It was sad to watch and read the news of people suffering from COVID-19, and the economic and social effect on so many — losing jobs, mental health. It was such a tough year for so many people,” Osaka wrote in an email interview.

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“And then watching the police injustices like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake (to name just a few) in the summer broke my heart. I am proud of my U.S. Open victory, but more so that I got people talking about the real issues,” she added.

Naomi Osaka- An activist and a champion

Osaka has voiced her opinion fearlessly against police brutality and racial injustice

Naomi Osaka claimed her second US Open title, and third overall, after she defeated Victoria Azarenka in the finals. She also reached the finals of the Cincinnati Open just prior to the US Open, but had to give a walkover because of an injury. Apart from being a noteworthy champion on-court, she has also made an impact off-court.

It was during Osaka’s semifinal clash at the Cincinnati Open, she decided that she would not play the match and instead join athletes from the NBA and elsewhere to protest the police shooting of Blake. Taking her lead, the entire tournament was called off for a day.

“There are clearly so many worthy issues. This one especially resonated with me because of my own personal up-bringing; and also while the tennis tour was paused, I was able to watch and read news at length for the first time in my life. This summer in the U.S., tensions were high and reached boiling point, it was the right time for me to speak up,” she said.

Naomi Osaka listed these goals for 2021, “work hard, do better, speak up, be kind.” Naomi Osaka who was born in Japan is also eagerly waiting for the Tokyo Olympics which was postponed to 2021 owing to the covid-19 pandemic.

“I am looking forward most to being with the athletes that had waited and trained for over 10 years, for celebrating a very hard year (2020), and having that happen in Japan makes it that much more special, it’s a special and beautiful country filled with culture, history and beauty. I cannot be more excited,” said Osaka.

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