The U.S. Open marked Serena Williams’ biggest comeback after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis, in September. Serena’s return to the courts wasn’t easy. She suffered from blood clots in her lungs and throughout her legs while on the court which, as a result, created the controversial Nike ‘catsuit.’
Despite the complications and criticism, Williams blew through the U.S. Open and gracefully made it to the finals. Her finals opponent, Naomi Osaka, is a young 20-year-old with an amazing record, having beaten Maria Sharapova during the first round of the Indian Wells tournament earlier in the year.
Osaka beat Williams 6-2 in the first round and 6-4 in the second round. This was momentous as Osaka not only became the first Japanese player to win a major tennis tournament, but she defeated Serena Williams. Osaka’s feat, however, was not well received during the trophy presentation. The stadium echoed with ‘boos’ as the trophy was presented. There were numerous news articles and television reports emphasizing the disappointment and overshadowing her victory. The public accused the judges for penalties against Williams as the cause of the fatal loss. After receiving her trophy, Osaka even openly apologized for not delivering the results that people had anticipated:
“…sorry it had to end like this. I don’t know, I felt like everyone was sort of unhappy up there. I know that ending wasn’t how people wanted it to be.”
Naomi Osaka didn’t deserve the type of feedback given to her after such a career defining moment. Williams, however, was supportive of Osaka during the midst of it all. Williams encouraged the public to stop booing and reassured Osaka that the upset was not directed towards her.
Regardless of what people say, Naomi Osaka is a true inspiration with her sportsmanship. She signed the biggest deal in female Adidas athlete history, bringing in a $8.5 million per year. There is definitely more to come.