Rising tennis star Naomi Osaka has already made huge splashes in professional tennis. The 20-year-old, who Serena Williams once said is “dangerous” on the court, was born in Japan and represents the island nation in competitions. But as the daughter of a Japanese mother and Haitian father she has made it clear she’ll never neglect to proudly represent her Haitian heritage.
In an interview following her 6-4, 6-2 win against Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty in the Australian Open on Saturday, Osaka made certain to remind a reporter that while she’s honored to play for Japan, she continues to “represent” her Haitian heritage. When the reporter mentioned that Osaka is “proudly Japanese,” the tennis star quickly shed light on her full identity.
“…Of course I’m really honored to be playing for Japan, and… my dad’s side is Haitian, so represent…” Osaka replied.
"I feel really happy but kind of sorry, because I know all of you wanted Ash to win!"
A very classy interview after a very classy performance. On @Naomi_Osaka_ goes! #AusOpen
pic.twitter.com/U5XOs7OefK— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2018
Indeed Osaka appears to be very connected to her Haitian roots. On Instagram, she posted photos of herself in Haiti in October – one photo featured a school Osaka said her parents built around 20 years ago.
In other photos, Osaka showcased some of Haiti's natural beauty.
Osaka moved to the United States at a young age and currently lives in Florida. In her 2016 interview with The New York Times, the tennis star mentioned that while she is not fluent in Japanese, she has dual citizenship. And she has certainly continued to gain international attention since – last summer the 20-year-old made headlines when she defeated U.S. Open defending champ Angelique Kerber at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in August. Her older sister, Mari Osaka, is also a tennis pro player representing Japan.
There are so many reasons to be proud to be Haitian, let 'em know Naomi!
