Former tennis world number one Naomi Osaka tweeted that she was “petrified” when trapped in a stampede in Brooklyn after a boxing show on Saturday night. “I was just in the Barclays Center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running, then we were being yelled at that there was …
Read More »Osaka hints at Wimbledon snub over rankings row
Japanese tennis ace Naomi Osaka has refused to confirm if she will compete at this summer’s Wimbledon after the ATP and WTA stripped the event of its rankings points this year, following the All England Club’s decision to ban players from Russia and Belarus from competing. The annual grass court …
Read More »Osaka more careful with words on French Open return
Women’s tennis ace Naomi Osaka returned to giving press conferences at the French Open and admitted that her ordeals in 2021 have made her a more cautious figure this time around. Osaka famously revealed she would not be taking part in any media commitments ahead of the Roland Garros tournament …
Read More »Deaths feared after suspected arson in Osaka building
A fire consumed the commercial building – which houses a mental health clinic, among other businesses – near the busy Kitashinchi train station on Friday, and photos show the windows of the fourth floor broken and burned. A spokesperson for Osaka Police told AFP that the tragedy was possibly the …
Read More »‘Things you love to see’: ‘Kinda rusty’ Naomi Osaka lauded by US Open as she teases return… months after bosses made ban threat
The 24-year-old shared a series of photos of herself, with the first one showing her racket-in-hand on a private tennis court resting against the net. “Kinda rusty but it feels good to be back,” she wrote, having previously heavily suggested that she would be taking an indefinite break from action. …
Read More »First Naomi Osaka and now Simone Biles. ‘Brave’ no longer means battling in sport, it celebrates ‘woke’ weakness
On a Tokyo Tuesday night at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, the chalk dust had just about settled from Simone Biles’ opening vault in the artistic all-round team event final. The camera inside panned to the most decorated American gymnast of all-time caught in hushed conversation with her coach, seemingly underwhelmed …
Read More »‘A Netflix show, a Barbie doll, and now Sports Illustrated’: Critics clash with Osaka over media flurry amid ‘mental health break’
The former world number one withdrew from the French Open in May after boycotting obligatory press conferences while citing mental health issues. Claiming that she “never wanted to be a distraction,” Osaka revealed she had “suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018” and is often hit …
Read More »‘Taking some personal time’: Naomi Osaka will MISS Wimbledon to continue mental health break – but WILL play at Olympics
Osaka, 23, withdrew from the French Open in May after triggering a row with organizers when she refused to conduct her media duties after matches, citing the toll it took on her mental health. Threatened with fines and potential expulsion, Osaka opted to walk away from the tournament after the …
Read More »‘I never wanted to be a distraction’: Naomi Osaka stuns tennis by withdrawing from the French Open and apologizing for boycott row
World number two Osaka had already caused shockwaves by announcing before the tournament that she would not be observing her media duties, carrying out her threat as she progressed to the second round before organizers of all four Grand Slams united to produce a long statement warning that she could be thrown …
Read More »‘Why can’t women protect their peace?’ Row over Osaka’s tennis tantrum rages on as French Open bosses warn star could be expelled
In a lengthy joint statement by all four Grand Slams, organizers said they had “tried unsuccessfully” to speak to the second seed in Paris, check on her wellbeing after she claimed she would not speak to the press and ask her to reconsider her position while discussing the “specifics of …
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