Photo Credit: Naomi Osaka/Instagram
Naomi Osaka’s pride in her Haitian heritage was on full display at the Miami Open, where she draped the Haitian flag over her shoulders, flying it high after her recent match.
The tennis star, born in Japan to a Haitian-American father and a Japanese mother, has been vocal about her advocacy for Haiti in recent times. Last week, she took to X (formerly Twitter) to pose a pointed question: “Can Haiti get their money back?”— a sharp response to a French lawmaker’s suggestion that the U.S. should return the Statue of Liberty because some Americans no longer uphold its values.
Fresh off her victory at the Miami Open, Osaka was spotted serving with precision in a bright yellow tennis outfit. But it was after the match that she created a beautiful moment. Spying a fan waving the Haitian flag, she walked over, graciously accepted it, and with a radiant smile, draped it over her shoulders, a striking symbol of her unwavering connection to her roots.
This gesture not only reinforces Osaka’s advocacy for Haiti but also highlights the deep, personal pride she carries for her heritage.
Watch the moment below.