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Naomi Osaka Withdraws From Tennis Tournament To Protest Racial Killing Of Black People

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Tennis star Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from playing in her WTA Western & Southern Open semi-final match in protest of a black man killed by the police in Wisconsin.

 

The game which was scheduled for today, Thursday would have seen Osaka face Belgian Elise Mertens.

“Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman, I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.” Osaka wrote in a  statement posted to Twitter.

Naomi Osaka

Her decision to withdraw from the game comes after Jacob Blake, a black unarmed man was shot on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

 

NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks in protest also boycotted their game Wednesday. Following suit,  Major League Baseball and Women’s NBA clubs also canceled all their upcoming games.

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Naomi Osaka is the first tennis star to boycott games in protest of the racially fueled killings.

“I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing. But if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.” She continues.

Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach,”

 

“I’m exhausted from having a new hashtag pop up every few days. And I’m extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again.

 

“When will it ever be enough?”

 

Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by the police. He was making to get into a car where his three children were waiting when he was shot.

 

The killing which has been described as racially spurred has sparked off a series of protests in Kenosha. It quickly turned violent on Tuesday when a 17-year-old white man opened fire on protesters, killing two.

 

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