Photo by Peter Menzel
Wikimedia Creative Commons
Naomi Osaka is soaking up the adulation just days after winning the US Open and enduring the boos of fans upset at the outcome.
Osaka, who was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, is forcing her mono-racial and mono-cultural native country to rethink its identity.
It was less than a year ago that Japan’s first bi-racial beauty queen, Ariana Miyamoto, sparked a major uproar in Japan.
While some on social media in Japan have questioned whether they can embrace Osaka as Japanese, the majority of the country has accepted her and her broken Japanese as one of their own, reports Mumbrella Asia.
The Japan Times hailed Osaka as “our newest hero” in an editorial Sunday.
“I subscribed to satellite TV to see the match, and I got goosebumps when she won,” said Yuta Yokoyama, 33, to the Japan Times.
“She has inspired Japan at a time when the country is reeling in the aftermath of the Hokkaido earthquake and torrential rain in western Japan,” said 35-year-old Shuichi Fukushima.
By now, you’ve likely heard the story. Fans were extremely upset by three controversial rulings by the umpire that costs Osaka’s opponent, Serena Williams, not only a point, but an entire game.
After watching Osaka win the match, fans spent almost as much time booing the umpires as they did cheering Osaka. It didn’t stop until Williams urged the fans to give Osaka, who immigrated to the US at age 3, her due and stop booing.
Speaking on Today, Osaka explained why she felt she had to apologize during her trophy presentation.
“I just felt like everyone was sort of unhappy up there. I know that it wasn’t really — the ending wasn’t how people wanted it to be. I know that in my dreams I won in a very tough, competitive match. I don’t know. I just felt very emotional. I felt like I had to apologize.”
It could all turn around quickly for Osaka. Besides taking home the first prize of $3.8 million dollars, CNN reports that with endorsement deals, her annual earnings could spike to more than $15 million in just a few years.
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