Aussie tennis great Rennae Stubbs caught up in Naomi Osaka interview blunder
Former Aussie tennis star turned commentator Rennae Stubbs has unwittingly ignited a furore following her post-match interview with Naomi Osaka at the US Open.
Osaka advanced to the semi-finals on Wednesday after dispatching Shelby Rogers in straight sets.
It's been a near-flawless tournament for the 22-year-old who has been on a mission not entirely focused on her on-court performances at her home grand slam.
Amid a turbulent year for the US, Osaka has taken a public stand against racial injustice, boycotting a day's play in protest at the Western & Southern Open two weeks ago, and has donned face masks with the names of victims of police brutality at Flushing Meadows.
Naomi Osaka wears a face mask bearing George Floyd's name. Getty
The names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin have all featured in Osaka's matches, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese.
On Wednesday Osaka wore a mask bearing George Floyd's name.
Floyd was killed in Minneapolis earlier this year when a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes during an arrest.
Speaking to Osaka after her win, Stubbs said that she's been "trying to guess what name is going to be on the masks every single day" and asked for a clue about who would appear next.
"We can't wait for that next mask," Stubbs added.
Noami Osaka's post-match interview following her quarter-final victory. Getty
Stubbs' well-intentioned but clumsy line of questioning drew a torrent of outrage from pundits across the game who couldn't quite believe what they had just heard.
Prominent New York Times tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg called it a "totally bizarre on-court interview" while The Guardian's Tumaini Carayol said on Twitter: "Still cannot believe that Naomi Osaka wearing the names of black people killed by police and others on her masks in order to amplify racial injustices led to this line of questioning."
Sports business reporter Darren Rovell tweeted: "We can't wait for the next name of a murdered person you put on your mask? I mean, I don't think any person in the world had that thought. I guess I was wrong."
Following the backlash, Stubbs took to Twitter to defend herself.
"Of course I meant well, the parents of these victims are so thankful that Naomi is doing this," Stubbs wrote on Twitter. "We even have them on video talking about it.
"I think the victims would love to know we are NOT FORGETTING THEIR NAMES! I would never disparage them! If u know me u would know that."
After her match, videos were played from Trayvon Martin's mother and Ahmaud Arbery's father thanking Osaka for her support and wishing her well for the tournament.
