According to Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press on Sunday, Naomi Osaka of Osaka, Japan, has been named the 2020 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. Osaka was recognized for her activism off the court and her brilliant tennis on the court during the time period in the New York bubble.
At the 2020 Western & Southern Open, which normally takes place in Cincinnati, but was moved to New York this year because of coronavirus, Osaka reached the semifinals where she was to play Elise Mertens of Belgium. However, after defeating Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals, Osaka withdrew from the event, citing racial quality awareness. Organizers decided to then follow Osaka’s lead, and have a day of pause. Osaka re-entered the tournament, reached the final, but had to pull out against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus because of a hamstring injury.
At the 2020 U.S. Open immediately after, Osaka won her second career U.S. Open Final, and third career grand slam final overall. She defeated Azarenka in the final this time, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. During the second grand slam of the year, Osaka continued her activism. Prior to coming on to the court, she was wearing a mask recognizing a victim of racial injustice and police brutality.
Osaka’s win in Flushing Meadows was her only WTA title of 2020. She is currently ranked third in the world behind Australia’s Ashleigh Barty, and Romania’s Simona Halep.
Osaka is the first non-American to be named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year since golfer Lorena Ochoa of Mexico won the award in 2007. Osaka is also the third Asian woman to win the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. She follows sprinter Chi Cheng of Taiwan, who won the award in 1970, and golfer Se Ri Pak of South Korea, who won the award in 1998.
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