Osaka Vows to Celebrate Her Own Accomplishments ahead of US Open Title Defense

Naomi Osaka. (Reuters)
Naomi Osaka. (Reuters)
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Osaka Vows to Celebrate Her Own Accomplishments ahead of US Open Title Defense

Naomi Osaka. (Reuters)
Naomi Osaka. (Reuters)

Naomi Osaka said she intends to celebrate her own achievements more and will not worry about the expectations others place on her as she prepares to begin her US Open title defense.

Osaka’s match against Marie Bouzkova will mark the 23-year-old’s first appearance at a Grand Slam since dropping out of French Open in June and skipping Wimbledon to protect her mental health.

“Recently I’ve been asking myself why do I feel the way I do and I realize one of the reasons is because internally, I think I’m never good enough,” the Japanese player said in a social media post on Sunday.

“I’m gonna try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more, I think we all should.”

Osaka has emerged as the global face for the sport on the back of her four Grand Slam triumphs and outspoken views on racial injustice and police violence.

She defeated Victoria Azarenka in three sets in last year’s US Open final before going on to win the Australian Open in February.

“Your life is your own and you shouldn’t value yourself on other people’s standards,” said Osaka, who is seeded third at Flushing Meadows this year.

“I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that’s not good enough for some, then my apologies, but I can’t burden myself with those expectations anymore.”

Osaka failed to advance past the third round of her last two tournaments but can look forward to the support of tennis-starved New York fans at Flushing Meadows, where no spectators were allowed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US Open runs from Aug. 30 to Sept. 12.



UK Government Backs London Bid to Host 2029 Athletics World Championships

FILE -Workers continue setup preparations ahead of the start of the World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
FILE -Workers continue setup preparations ahead of the start of the World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
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UK Government Backs London Bid to Host 2029 Athletics World Championships

FILE -Workers continue setup preparations ahead of the start of the World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
FILE -Workers continue setup preparations ahead of the start of the World Athletics Championships at the London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

The British government has announced its support of London's bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships.

London hosted the biannual premier track-and-field event in 2017 at the London Stadium, which also held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. The plan is to stage the 2029 worlds at the same venue.

Saturday's announcement included the government's support of a bid for Britain to host the 2029 World Para Athletics Championships.

“Subject to funding from partners being confirmed, the government has agreed to provide significant funding for both bids, reflecting the UK’s ambition to once again bring the world’s greatest athletes to UK shores,” it said in a statement.

The announcement came with London hosting a Diamond League event on Saturday.

This year’s athletics worlds will take place in Tokyo in September. The 2027 edition will be held in Beijing.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he's “delighted to support the bid.”

“The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together,” he said in a statement.