Noha Akugue hails Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams for INSPIRING all black athletes after her dream run in German Open

Noha Akugue, a German tennis player, reached the finals of the German Open as a wildcard entrant. According to her, she has been motivated by two influential Black women in tennis, Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams. She remembers watching Osaka win her first Grand Slam trophy at the 2018 US Open, and the former World No.1 has been her favorite player since then.

Akugue was drawn to Osaka because of her calm and poker-faced approach on the court, especially in high-pressure situations. She admires aggressive play and sees similarities between her style of play and Osaka’s. She believes that having a Black woman representing the sport, such as Osaka and the famous Serena Williams, is critical. It acts as a source of motivation for future players like her.

“I like her poker face. She’s also an aggressive player. She’s similar to me, that’s why I like her. It’s also important to see a Black woman in tennis — Serena as well, of course. It’s good for young players,” she said

Akugue has gained inspiration from Osaka’s steely poise in difficult circumstances throughout her participation in the Hamburg event. She has tried to mimic Osaka’s poker face style whether facing a 6-0 set against her, facing match points, or maneuvering through pressure. Though she admits that she isn’t always successful in keeping her emotions to herself, she strives to retain her composure on the court, just like her role model.

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Noha Akugue gets defeated in Hamburg European Open final

Arantxa Rus won her maiden WTA tour championship on Saturday, defeating German teenager Noha Akugue in the final of the Hamburg European Open. In a match that marked both players’ first-ever final appearance, Rus demonstrated her skill and poise to win.

Noha Akugue made a remarkable debut at her local WTA event, while Rus, 32, became the WTA’s oldest first-time finalist since 2007. Despite the large home crowd advantage, Akugue struggled to find her rhythm early on, making a slew of unforced errors that hampered her performance. Throughout the game, she had 46 unforced errors to her opponent’s 23.

Rus took advantage of her opponent’s nervous start and handled the pressure well from the outset. She used her knowledge and talent to seize command of the game. However, as the game went on, Akugue showed great improvement in the second set, fighting valiantly to save two match points and generate excitement among the audience. Rus remained focused and resilient in a closely contested tiebreaker, finally winning in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

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