Naomi Osaka To Donate Prize Money From Upcoming Tennis Event To Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
Tennis star Naomi Osaka has stepped in to provide money to Haiti’s relief effort in the aftermath of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook the nation Saturday (August 14), killing over 300 people and injuring hundreds.
Osaka, 23, will be donating her prize money from next week’s Western & Southern Open to aid the recovery of the Caribbean country. Osaka took to her Twitter account to share her thoughts on the quake and announce her pledge, she tweeted after news of the devastation swept across the world.
“Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti,” she began. “And it feels like we really can’t catch a break. I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestry blood is strong we’ll keep pushing.”
Osaka’s dad, Leonard Francois, hails from Haiti, and her mother is Japanese. Having moved from Japan to the U.S. (New York) at the age of 3, she has also developed strong ties to the Haitian nation. In November of 2018, Osaka visited Haiti for only the second time in her lifespan.
“This is my father's country, and it is half of who I am. So I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the country," she said during a speech to a group of international dignitaries at Haiti's presidential palace during that 2018 visit.
Check out the video below of her visit:
Osaka is one of Tennis' brightest stars, yet her leadership takes on a different light. She’s been vocal about mental health and racial injustice during her still ongoing tenure in the spotlight, advocating for changes to be made in multiple areas.