‘I Probably Wouldn’t Be the Best Person to Ask’- Naomi Osaka Addresses WTA’s Response to the Ukraine-Russia War

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has shown promise in the ongoing WTA season after a discouraging end to her 2021 campaign. While she didn’t manage to defend her Australian Open crown, Osaka remained positive and grateful for the time she got to spend on a tennis court. Hopefully, she continues to do the same for the rest of the year.

Naomi Osaka gave her understanding of the locker room support amid current conflict

Osaka notched up a magnificent three-set victory over Sloane Stephens in the first round in Indian Wells. In the post-match presser, Osaka was asked about the mood in the locker room and the support players were offering to each other amidst the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

“Honestly, I probably wouldn’t be the best person to ask this, coz this is my first tournament. Also, haven’t really been in the locker room that much. But, I feel like everyone kinda has the same energy of support from what I gathered so far,” Osaka explained.

There has been a lot of support from the WTA rooster concerning the current conflict. Top stars like Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza, and others have taken to social media. Sending messages of solidarity, they have also vouched for peace across the world.

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In light of the recent events, the tennis organizations decided to remove the Russian flag beside players’ names. The Russian players will now feature in the tournaments as ‘neutral athletes’. Also, Russia was excluded from team events such as the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup.

Osaka looks to perform well at Indian Wells 2022

Coming to Osaka, she also wrote a few lines on Twitter and expressed her views over the current war.

“Sitting here looking at the news and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It’s crazy to me that we live in a world that’s so extremely “out of sight out of mind”, I hope you know we’re thinking of you and praying for you.”

The Japanese star will aim to take maximum advantage of not being a top-ranked player in the draw. And that might help her to play freely as well.

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With a new-found meaning on how to continue her professional life, it will be an intriguing watch to follow Naomi Osaka’s career closely in years to come.