Associated Press names Naomi Osaka 'Female Athlete of the Year'

SCREEN CAPTURE / ESPN

Tennis player Naomi Osaka brought attention to racial justice issues while winning the U.S. Open.

Naomi Osaka was named the Associated Press' Female Athlete of the Year. LeBron James was named Male Athlete of the Year.

While the Japanese American tennis player won the U.S. Open last Fall, her third Grand Slam title, it was her work as a racial justice advocate that brought her the most attention and praise.

“It was difficult to be isolated from my family for large parts of the year, but that’s nothing compared to others," she tole the AP. "It was sad to watch and read the news of people suffering from Covid-19, and the economic and social effect on so many — losing jobs, mental health. 

"It was such a tough year for so many people,” Osaka wrote in an email interview. “And then watching the police injustices like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake (to name just a few) in the summer broke my heart. I am proud of my U.S. Open victory, but more so that I got people talking about the real issues.”

In the lead-up tournament to the U.S. Open, on the eve of the title game, Osaka -- whose mother is Japanese and father from Haiti -- opted to not play in the title match, deciding she could not ignore the ongoing protests against police brutality resulting in the killing of George Floyd and so many others.

Tournament officials agreed to a pause in play.

“There are clearly so many worthy issues. This one especially resonated with me because of my own personal up-bringing; and also while the tennis tour was paused, I was able to watch and read news at length for the first time in my life. This summer in the U.S., tensions were high and reached boiling point,” Osaka said. “It was the right time for me to speak up.”

In the following week, during the U.S. Open she wore a mask for each match with the name of seven victims of police brutality stitched on it to bring attention to the Black Lives Matter movement asking for police reform.

The 23-year-old OsakaOsaka said she is looking forward to playing for Japan, which is hosting the Olympics in 2021 after it was canceled this year. Her goal for the new year, she said, was to “work hard, do better, speak up, be kind.”

"I am proud of my U.S. Open victory, but more so that I got people talking about the real issues,” she said.