The Western and Southern Open has announced that there will be no action at the tournament on Thursday, August 27th. The decision comes following boycotts across American sport due to the shooting of Jacob Blake, in particular due to Naomi Osaka’s announcement a few hours ago that she would withdraw from her semifinal against Elise Mertens in solidarity.
All of us at the VAVEL USA Tennis section support Naomi Osaka and all those who are taking a stand across sport. We salute Osaka’s courage in her convictions and desire to generate positive and meaningful change in the world, and we also commend the Western and Southern Open and the USTA for not shunning her but instead following her example in the fight against racism.
Our tennis writers come from America and from all corners of the globe. As a department we will be encouraging them to engage more with the Black Lives Matter movement, whether these movements are in the US or their own countries. We also encourage you as our readers to engage with this movement and stand against all forms of racial injustice. There are several petitions and charitable causes that you can support.
We will see you on Friday for more coverage of the Western and Southern Open. Until then, stay safe. Black Lives Matter.