Naomi Osaka won one of the most controversial finals in the history of the US Open last year after Serena Williams exploded against the chair umpire.
The American received 3 on-court violations for coaching, smashing her racket, and verbal abuse. Things went from bad to worse, with Serena Williams quarreling against the chair umpire accusing him of sexism, and she was penalized by a game before losing the match among huge controversy.
Unfortunately, the final ceremony ended with the crowd on fire and Naomi in tears. That ruined a very important moment of her life since it was her maiden slam title and Serena wanted to do something about it.
Serena Williams apologizing to Naomi Osaka
In an essay for Harper Bazar, Serena admitted that she had to apologize to Naomi after what happened to say
“I still couldn’t find peace. I started seeing a therapist. I was searching for answers, and although I felt like I was making progress, I still wasn’t ready to pick up a racket. Finally I realized that there was only one way for me to move forward. It was time for me to apologize to the person who deserved it the most. I started to type, slowly at first, then faster as if the words were flowing out of me.”
“Hey, Naomi! It’s Serena Williams. As I said on the court, I am so proud of you and I am truly sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. But I had no idea the media would pit us against each other. I would love the chance to live that moment over again. I am, was, and will always be happy for you and supportive of you. I would never, ever want the light to shine away from another female, specifically another black female athlete. I can’t wait for your future, and believe me I will always be watching as a big fan! I wish you only success today and in the future. Once again, I am so proud of you. All my love and your fan, Serena.”
Naomi Osaka’s answer to Serena
The American revealed that she was in tears when she received the answer from Naomi saying:
“People can misunderstand anger for strength because they can’t differentiate between the two.No one has stood up for themselves the way you have and you need to continue trailblazing.”
Nice.
| NAOMI OSAKA AND SERENA WILLIAMS at the US OPEN |
| Embed from Getty Images |
