Photographer: Al Bello / Getty Images
Photographer: Al Bello / Getty Images
The USTA, the ATP Tour, and the WTA agreed to suspend tournaments at the Western & Southern Open on Thursday following Jacob Blake’s shooting, tennis organizations say in a joint statement.
- Play will resume on Friday.
- Naomi Osaka said earlier in a declaration on Twitter that he won’t play in his semifinal at the Cincinnati Masters in response to police shootings of Blake and other blacks in the United States.
- “And as a black woman I am feel as if there were much more important matters at hand that require immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis, “he wrote.
- The announcements come as NBA, MLB and MLS teams postpone their games to protest police shootings.
- Previously,NBA and MLB players boycott games to protest police shootings (1)
(Updates with ATP, USTA, WTA statement on suspension of play in tournaments)
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