The two young stars’ criticisms of police brutality after George Floyd’s killing were brave in a culture uneasy with black athletes speaking out
A couple of weeks ago Naomi Osaka decided that it was time to eradicate her shyness once and for all. It was exhausting, she said, missing out on moments because she was too terrified to speak in the presence of people she admired. Her options for socialising limited in quarantine, she set up a series of interviews with players. Before long, fellow players Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Gaël Monfils and Iga Swiatek were her subjects. “I’m coming for every tennis reporter’s neck,” she said.
On Saturday afternoon Osaka’s new reporting skills were put to use on Instagram as a follower jumped into the comments section with criticism and accusations. After claiming that Osaka, who has already amassed a fortune after only a few years at the top, would “loot everything”, he ended with a lecture: “Martin Luther King would be disappointed in you people.” Osaka responded with sharp and concise questions: “You people? Who is you people? Just for clarification.”