Osaka changes mind and agrees to play semis

NEW YORK: Naomi Osaka has decided to play her semi-final at the Western & Southern Open in New York after previously saying she would withdraw from the match to protest against racial injustice, The Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Japanese was originally scheduled to play her semi-final on Thursday but tournament organisers decided to postpone all the last-four matches to Friday. “As you know, I pulled out of the tournament yesterday in support of racial injustice and continued police violence. I was (and am) ready and prepared to concede the match to my opponent,” Osaka said. “However, after my announcement and lengthy consultation with the WTA and USTA, I have agreed at their request to play on Friday. They offered to postpone all matches until Friday and in my mind that brings more attention to the movement. I want to thank the WTA and the Tournament for their support.”

Osaka joined similar protests by athletes in the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball following the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin on Sunday. Osaka defeated Anett Kontaveit 4-6 6-2 7-5 to reach the semis where she was scheduled to face Belgian Elise Mertens, who needed just over an hour to defeat qualifier Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-3 and reach her first Premier 5 semi-final. The Japanese, a two-time Grand Slam champion, will play Belgian Elise Mertens in the final tune-up event ahead of the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 U.S. Open.

British number one Johanna Konta punched her ticket to the semi-finals with a 6-4 6-3 win over Greece’s Maria Sakkari, who entered the match fresh off a win over Serena Williams for one of the biggest wins of her career. A tight first set ultimately came down to one break of serve, which Konta converted in the third game. Konta broke two more times in the second, including in the final game where she secured the win after a Sakkari double fault.