WASHINGTON, September 14, 2020 (by Michael Dickens)
On the day after Naomi Osaka won her second US Open singles title and third major championship overall, she spent a part of her Sunday doing a photo shoot on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center posing with her US Open trophy. She also explained why she laid down on the court after her victory, looking up at the sky through the open Arthur Ashe Stadium roof. Plus, she shared what wearing Kobe Bryant’s jersey to her final US Open virtual press conference meant to her.
Osaka 22. revealed that she’s been donning a Kobe Bryant jersey all fortnight. She shared what she described as a special friendship with the late NBA star and has drawn inspiration from him.
“I just want to be the type of person that he thought I was going to be,” she said during her Saturday virtual press conference after beating Victoria Azarenka, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final. “He thought I was going to be great, so hopefully I will be great in the future. Only time will tell.”
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I wore this jersey every day after my matches. I truly think it gave me strength. Always 💛💜
As to her thinking behind laying down on the court soon after her win, Osaka said: “I was thinking about all the times I’ve watched the great players sort of collapse onto the ground and look up into the sky. I’ve always wanted to see what they saw. For me, it was really an incredible moment. I’m really glad I did it.”
Osaka receives congratulatory texts
After Naomi Osaka won her third major title when she defeated Victoria Azarenka Saturday to win the 2020 US Open women’s singles title, there were plenty of congratulatory texts for her on social media, including from Billie Jean King and LeBron James. Fellow professionals Coco Gauff and Felix Auger-Aliassime left notes on some of her Instagram threads.
GREAT COMEBACK!! Congrats @naomiosaka! 🙏🏾✊🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 12, 2020
Congratulations to @naomiosaka, the 2020 @usopen women’s singles champion!
A tremendous Final by both players, with incredible effort by @vika7.
Our sport just keeps getting better! #USOpen https://t.co/FEKZlfE3cX
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 12, 2020
How to bring Arthur Ashe’s legacy back to his hometown
As many tennis fans watched the US Open women’s and men’s singles finals from Arthur Ashe Stadium this weekend, Tennis.com‘s Steve Tignor has written a thoughtful story about Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe’s idea of how to bring back her late husband’s legacy to his embattled hometown of Richmond, Virginia.
Richmond, and its monument to Arthur Ashe, have been at the center of a struggle over U.S. history.
Ashe’s widow, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, has an idea for how to resolve it, and bring her late husband’s legacy back to his community.
From @SteveTignor: https://t.co/dHJPCOheLx
— TENNIS (@Tennis) September 13, 2020
Summing up Eugenie Bouchard’s week in Istanbul
Eugenie Bouchard came within a few points of winning her first WTA tour-level title since 2014 during the final of the WTA International event in Istanbul, Turkey. However, it wasn’t meant to be …
istanbul! what a week! not the trophy i would have liked, but a trophy nonetheless ☺️ thank you to the tournament for a great event, and to my coaches/family/friends/fans for your help & support ♥️ pic.twitter.com/8Gk10ZWc6z
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) September 13, 2020
The thrill of Patricia Maria Tig’s victory in Istanbul
… Instead, Patricia Maria Tig beat Eugenie Bouchard in three sets to win the first WTA tour-level title in her career. She got to celebrate the moment with her husband/coach and daughter.
Cuteness of the final 🥰
Patricia Maria Tig celebrated the championship with her daughter Sofia 😍#tennischampistanbul
📸@gokhantnr pic.twitter.com/ie7C305HhZ
— Tennis Championship Istanbul (@TennisChampIst) September 13, 2020
