Naomi Osaka lights cauldron to open 2020 Tokyo Olympics

What's on her head?

[quote] Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life. I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness ❤️ love you guys thank you.

Aww.

Why?

Whoops.

Wrong link at R2.

Good for her. The sports media are some of the biggest assholes in media - and that's saying something.

Isn't she an American?

One of her parents is Japanese, one of her parents is Haitian, I think she was raised primarily in America and holds tri-citizenship.

She's very pretty.

Is this the one who quit the French Open?

yes, her mother is Japanese, Father is Haitian, born in Japan, moved to Long Island aged 3;

"Although Osaka was raised in the United States, her parents decided that their daughters would represent Japan. They said, "We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age. She was born in Osaka and was brought up in a household of Japanese and Haitian culture. Quite simply, Naomi and her sister Mari have always felt Japanese so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation."

Perfect choice since she's globally-known and Japanese.

Video...

I thought Naomi was cancelled because she was being a bitch about all her tennis antics?

She's become insufferable

R1, Pikachu ears.

R15, scratch that. I thought they were but they're not. Some kind of hat.

R10, they decided she would represent Japan because they figured that was her easiest route to success. Less competition.

I hate people who try to bamboozle you.

I thought she had said that being mixed race she never felt at home in Japan.

R18, her thoughts about Japan have been very nuanced.

She has said that most people don't expect her to be Japanese in Japan because of her skin color. They'd talk about her in front of her not knowing she knew the language or people would hand her an English menu when she went out. She said they do other things that Americans would see as racist like blackface but [italic]she knows they're not racist.[/italic] They just don't understand.

Still, she has always felt Japanese, not American so she's always played for them. Also they've always supported her career, the US didn't come around and let her train here at their facilities until she was 16. She declined and stuck with Japan.

I like Osaka a lot. She's like a breath of fresh air.

Typhoon headed to Naomi. I pray she does not suffer another breakdown.

I don't understand how she gets so many endorsements.

To say she is cold, is an understatement.

Some people make excuses for her and say, "Oh, she's just really shy."

Shy doesn't mean you have to be a fucking bitch.

I would HATE to interview her.

No wonder she's getting so much bad press lately.

R20, Osaka pulled out of both the French Open and Wimbledon, yet she's fine enough to be at the Olympics in her country of nationality (as opposed to her country of residence). No doubt she'll be fine for the US Open too, since it's one of the surfaces she's best on.

Picking and choosing which tournament she plays at depending on whether it's a surface she likes or at a tournament at which she's lauded by the locals is not a "breath of fresh air" for a tennis fan. It's an annoying diva who doesn't give a shit about tennis lovers.

[quote]It's an annoying diva who doesn't give a shit about tennis lovers.

I don't expect professional tennis players to give a shit about me. They're athletes, not healthcare professionals or teachers.

Oh, fuck off, R22.

R24, the point is she isn't behaving like a professional tennis player by continuously pulling out of tournaments. She cares very much about having fans - social media fans she can use to build her celeb/endorsement profile and get to buy the stuff she advertises. But the tennis fans she doesn't give a shit about, because she doesn't give a shit about the tennis.

R23, players often skip their less favored surfaces when they have the clout. Both Federer and Nadal have done this. And Osaka played well last night.

If her father is Haitian, why is her last name "Osaka?"

No they don't, r27, otherwise they wouldn't have much clout left. They also wouldn't be top players if they kept skipping grand slams because they wouldn't collect enough points to give them a top ranking. Federer and Nadal never skipped out on a grand slam just because they didn't like the surface. In their 20-year careers they are bound to have missed some grand slams due to various reasons (mostly injury), but the fact they're still slogging on at every grand slam in their late 30s rather suggests that they're not shirkers. They have also both won every grand slam, on every surface.

At least you admit that the only reason Osaka pulled out of the French Open and Wimbledon just because she didn't like the surface.

[quote] If her father is Haitian, why is her last name "Osaka?"

It's mentioned in her Wiki, R28:

[quote] She has an older sister named Mari who is a former professional tennis player. The two girls were given their mother's family name for practical reasons when the family lived in Japan.

They don't list the "practical reasons," but I think it has to do with the fact that foreigners have zero rights in japan.

If you have one japanese parent, then it's better to be claimed by them, because if you list yourself as the child of a foreigner, I don't think you can even attend school in japan.