Naomi Osaka cruises in US Open; wears mask remembering slain Elijah McClain

Naomi Osaka wore the mask as she entered the court and put it back on aafter the matach

If Naomi Osaka continues to play at the US Open like she did Wednesday, she might have a chance to wear all seven masks that have the names of African Americans who died while in being arrested by police.

Wednesday, her mask had the name of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Colorado man who died when police administered a choke-hold that cuts off blood flow and after an EMT gave him a shot to calm him down. 

Police had stopped him as he walked home from a convenience store. He had not commit any crime. A resident's 911 call reported him as suspicious.

“When I heard about his story it was very hurtful,” Osaka explained when asked by reporters.  

“I still don’t think his name is very put out there compared to, like, George Floyd or Breonna Taylor. For me, today was very special in the way that I wanted to represent him very well,” she said.

In the US Open's second round, Osaka easily dispatched Italy's Camila Giorgi, 6-1, 6-2 in a game that featured hard volleying from the baseline, a style that hard-hitting Osaka prefers.

“I definitely played, I think, the best out of the two weeks that I’ve been here today,” said the 4th-ranked Osaka.

WIth her win, Osaka advances to the 3rd round against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, currently raned 137th in the world. They will meet Friday, Sept. 3.

The 22-year old tennis star began her demonstrations of support for the police killings of unarmed black people last week when she announced she would withdraw from the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open at the same tennis complex as the US Open is being held.

Her withdrawal was inspired by the boycott by players in the NBA, WNBA and MLB and later joined by the National Hockey League.

She said has seven masks prepared for the US Open. In the first round match, she wore a mask with the name of Breonna Taylor, who was shot dead in her own apartment by police.

Osaka said that its too bad her seven masks isn't enough to list all the deaths of back people at the hands of the police.