*In an essay published Tuesday in Harper’s BAZAAR, Serena Williams addresses her 2018 U.S. Open loss and again apologizes to Naomi Osaka, who she played against in a match that saw the tennis champ clashing with the chair umpire, who docked her a game for calling him a “thief.”
Then-20-year-old Osaka prevailed against her Serena 6-2, 6-4 to win her first major, but it was overshadowed by the controversy with Serena and chair umpire Carlos Ramos.
After the match, a tearful Osaka accepted the trophy as boos rang around Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“This debacle ruined something that should have been amazing and historic,” Williams writes. “Not only was a game taken from me but a defining, triumphant moment was taken from another player.” After the match, Williams says she “couldn’t find peace.”
“I started seeing a therapist,” she reveals. “I was searching for answers, and although I felt like I was making progress, I still wasn’t ready to pick up a racket.”
OTHER NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Black Teen Fatally Stabbed by ‘Mentally Ill’ White Male For Listening to Rap Music
Williams said the only way for her to find closure and move forward was to apologize. She wrote to Osaka that she was “truly sorry” but noted how she “thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself.”
Here’s what she wrote to Naomi:
“As I said on the court, I am so proud of you and I am truly sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. But I had no idea the media would pit us against each other. I would love the chance to live that moment over again. I am, was, and will always be happy for you and supportive of you. I would never, ever want the light to shine away from another female, specifically another black female athlete. I can’t wait for your future, and believe me I will always be watching as a big fan! I wish you only success today and in the future. Once again, I am so proud of you. All my love and your fan, Serena.”
According to Williams, Osaka replied: “People can misunderstand anger for strength because they can’t differentiate between the two. No one has stood up for themselves the way you have and you need to continue trailblazing.”
Williams was fined $17,000 for the three violations she incurred during the US Open.
“Ultimately, my daughter is the reason I use my voice, the reason I picked up a racket again,” Williams writes.
Read the full essay here.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
