Tennis

It’s Famous Friday!

2020-09-22T16:40:33+00:00September 17th, 2020|

Photo credit: complex.com For Famous Friday this week, we are celebrating Naomi Osaka. Last weekend, the 22-year-old tennis star won her second US Open, and third Grand Slam title. Osaka is half Japanese and half Haitian, and in recent years has solidified her status as one of the best tennis players on the planet. At this year’s US Open, Osaka played in 7 matches. When she arrived for these matches, she wore 7 different masks, which bore the following names: Breonna Taylor Elijah McClain Ahmaud Arbery Trayvon Martin [...]

It’s Famous Friday!

2019-10-25T07:11:49+00:00October 25th, 2019|

James Blake James Blake is a well-known tennis player who participated in the ATP tours and reached the world ranking of number 4 and ranked number 1 in the U.S.   James Blake was born in Yonkers, New York, on December 28, 1979. He is the son of Thomas Reynolds and Betty Blake. His father was African American and his mother is a British Caucasian woman. Blake, at a young age, took up tennis alongside his brother Thomas. At just the age of 13, Blake was diagnosed with severe scoliosis which [...]

Japanese sponsor accused of ‘whitewashing’ tennis star Naomi Osaka

2019-01-23T12:39:31+00:00January 23rd, 2019|

By Euan McKirdy, CNN (CNN)One of Naomi Osaka's Japanese sponsors has apologized after releasing an advertisement which has been widely accused of "whitewashing" the tennis star's skin tone. The 2018 US Open winner is featured in the ad as an anime character for instant noodle giant Nissin, alongside fellow Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori. Critics allege the cartoon depicts Osaka, who is half Japanese and half Haitian, as having pale skin, light brown hair and Caucasian features. "I was truly disappointed to see that there was no woman of color [...]

It’s Famous Friday!

2018-03-29T19:50:25+00:00March 29th, 2018|

Naomi Osaka Naomi is bringing more diversity to tennis with her heritage. Osaka recently won her first pro tennis title. She is a 20 year old Haitian-American-Japanese professional tennis player. Naomi was born in Osaka, Tokyo. Her father is Haitian and her mother is Japanese. Her parents and older sister are tennis players too. Naomi and her sister have played together in doubles tennis. Osaka has been living in the United States since she moved to Florida at the age of three. She has dual Japanese and American citizenship. Her [...]

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