Naomi Osaka in a “disgusting” photographic controversy

But her boyfriend, American rapper Cordae, took some of the shine off his win with his actions during the post-match celebrations.

Numerous photos have surfaced of Osaka celebrating his victory with the trophy in which Cordae is seen throwing his middle finger at the camera.

American athlete Lauren Perdue Britt was among those who took offense at Cordae’s actions.

“All I can say about this photo is honey, you can do better in the boyfriends department,” the gold medal swimmer tweeted.

Sports journalist Trent Courtright was also biting.

“Naomi Osaka wins the US Open and her boyfriend does it all on him. Show some class, “he tweeted.

“The US Open has always been a prestigious event and for them to publicly support this behavior is a shame.

“I’m a free speech advocate, but throwing the dick when your girlfriend (not yourself) wins the tournament is dulling the gravity of a significant result.”

Others described the photos as “disgusting” and “classless”.

Many pointed out that thousands of young Osaka fans would see the photos.

Naomi Osaka transforms from athlete to activist

Osaka capped a transformative US Open on Saturday with a challenge to millions of spectators around the world to “start talking” about racial justice.

Struggling into Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first round match 12 days ago, Osaka put her activism to the fore from the start, wearing a mask to honor Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police officers. who broke into his apartment in March.

Osaka would go on to recognize seven different black Americans – one for each of the seven rounds of the tournament – bringing Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality to his sport’s vast international fan base.

When asked after his last message that he hoped to send with his masks, he asked his interviewer the question: “What was the message you received? The point is to get people to start talking. “

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Osaka, born in Japan to a Haitian father and Japanese mother, spent her formative years in the United States and lives in Los Angeles. It represents its competing home country but its influence defies international borders.

“Everything I was doing off the pitch was also on the pitch at the same time,” he said in a televised interview following his three-set win against Azarenka in the final.

“It made me stronger because I felt I had more desire to win because I want to show more names”.

Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King said the action put her in the pantheon of the greatest athlete activists." data-reactid="93">Tennis pioneer Billie Jean King said the action put her in the pantheon of athletes’ greatest activists.

tennis all stood up and used their sport, their voices and their actions to change humanity,” she said." data-reactid="94">“It’s been more than 50 years since athletes like Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and Tommie Smith and the original 9 of women’s tennis have all stood up and used their sport, their voices and their actions to change the world. ‘humanity, “he said.

“The baton was passed and Naomi accepted it.”

His final US Open mask bore the name of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old black boy who was holding a toy gun when a police officer shot and killed him in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2014.

She said she planned to wear the mask for her trophy ceremony, but was told not to wear a face cover for the swap.