Is Osaka the greatest Asian tennis player ever?

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Sport

G.O.A.T.
I don't think Osaka considers herself Asian. I think she identifies as black. Japanese is only her nationality, but racially she seems to identify more as being black. Kind of like Tiger Woods. I've never heard him talk about his Asian side.
She is not "black" though, she is Blasian, or half black-half Asian. Her mother is Japanese if I am not mistaken. There is no reason to consider a Blasian "black" as if the black heritage is somehow more important than the Asian one.

Naomi has never called herself "black", nor has she ever said "I consider myself black", that is you attributing words/thoughts to her.
 
Why not? So you are saying serena after 23 is not the greatest tennis player of all time .
No she is not and never will be. We can either say WTA and ATP cannot be compared at all so there is a female GOAT and a male GOAT but no overall GOAT, or we do compare them even though they are not competing against each other than the male GOAT would be the overall GOAT obviously. Even if we try some mental gymnastics and say we compare them on how they dominated their respective fields (completely ignoring one field is way stronger than the other), than Esther Vergeer would be overall GOAT. No matter how you spin it, Serena will NEVER be the best tennis player. At the moment she isn’t even the best female tennis player yet.
 
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PETEhammer

Guest
Someone who reaches a quarter in the men’s tour would double bagel any female slam winner in history.
As always, comparing playing levels across two different tours is irrelevant to the question of greatness, where achievements/competition/conditions are what matter
 
As always, comparing playing levels across two different tours is irrelevant to the question of greatness, where achievements/competition/conditions are what matter
Achievements on different tours cannot be compared at face value. If we do Esther Vergeer > Serena.
 

silentkman

Hall of Fame
I don't think Osaka considers herself Asian. I think she identifies as black. Japanese is only her nationality, but racially she seems to identify more as being black. Kind of like Tiger Woods. I've never heard him talk about his Asian side.

bad comparison with Tiger Woods. one cares and one doesn't. when she is in Japan, She's Japanese. I know she understands Japanese, I've never heard her speak it. I'm not surprised how she is perceived now.
 

cortado

Professional
She is not "black" though, she is Blasian, or half black-half Asian. Her mother is Japanese if I am not mistaken. There is no reason to consider a Blasian "black" as if the black heritage is somehow more important than the Asian one.

Naomi has never called herself "black", nor has she ever said "I consider myself black", that is you attributing words/thoughts to her.
So is Obama white?
 
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Deleted member 22147

Guest
Hmm not sure. As always its hard to know with celebs/athletes what their real heights are. Some pics show her clearly taller than Serena, others show her about the same height.
Even if we grant that she's 5'10", that actually helps her case as that's probably prime height for a female player.

I think she is anywhere between 176cm and 178cm. I agree with you.
 

NonP

Legend
Why are you jokers bringing up Chang? The guy doesn't even speak Mandarin (by his own admission, at least in his book), for gawd's sake, not to mention the tiny fact that he represented the US of A in DC. He's a Chinese-American and proudly identifies as such, which is what ultimately matters.

One more thing:

So is Obama white?

He is half Black, half White. That he must identify as one of the two is a racist trope too many of us (including Black intellectuals who should know better) have bought into out of misplaced solidarity.
 
Why are you jokers bringing up Chang? The guy doesn't even speak Mandarin (by his own admission, at least in his book), for gawd's sake, not to mention the tiny fact that he represented the US of A in DC. He's a Chinese-American and proudly identifies as such, which is what ultimately matters.

One more thing:



He is half Black, half White. That he must identify as one of the two is a racist trope too many of us (including Black intellectuals who should know better) have bought into out of misplaced solidarity.

I think it would be appropriate to start asking White Americans if they identify with the Union or the Confederacy.
 

clout

Hall of Fame
Well Chang was born and raised in the USA so he automatically doesn't qualify, that's like saying Federer is the best South African player or Sampras is the best Greek player in history lol

If we're talking countries that are fully located in Asia, players that represent one of those countries, and only restricting it to singles, then yes Osaka is clearly the best ever from Asia. If we're talking about countries partially in Asia, then Sharapova (from Russia) has 5 majors + career slam, if we're including doubles than they're quite a few Asian players who had a lot of success there.
 

Tshooter

G.O.A.T.
...She's an American in some ways. but a citizen of the world in so many other dimensions.

“Citizen of the world” is not a passport you want to be holding during a world wide pandemic — you may as well be stateless. To my knowledge, Osaka is a dual citizen of the US and Japan notwithstanding the breathless accounts about Japan requiring her to choose one.
 
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dkmura

Professional
“Citizen of the world” is not a passport you want to be holding during a world wide pandemic — you may as well be stateless. To my knowledge, Osaka is a dual citizen of the US and Japan notwithstanding the breathless accounts about Japan requiring her to choose one.

That reference was about a state of mind, and certainly not a passport. Osaka has a perspective from her past travels, and while she chooses to have a Japanese passport, she represents people around the world. I believe Arthur Ashe coined the term, based on his broad perspective of the human condition during his time on the tour. He would have applauded Osaka's perspective and her stand on racial justice and equality.
 

Tshooter

G.O.A.T.
That reference was about a state of mind, and certainly not a passport. Osaka has a perspective from her past travels, and while she chooses to have a Japanese passport, she represents people around the world. I believe Arthur Ashe coined the term, based on his broad perspective of the human condition during his time on the tour. He would have applauded Osaka's perspective and her stand on racial justice and equality.

I think it may be more effective if your representatives have actual legislative authority which in general requires being a citizen of a nation.
 
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-NN-

G.O.A.T.
That reference was about a state of mind, and certainly not a passport. Osaka has a perspective from her past travels, and while she chooses to have a Japanese passport, she represents people around the world. I believe Arthur Ashe coined the term, based on his broad perspective of the human condition during his time on the tour. He would have applauded Osaka's perspective and her stand on racial justice and equality.


So who will be the greatest Japanese sportsperson of the next 10 years, Osaka or Tsunoda?

How about Juju Noda LOL. Definitely not Hikaru Nakamura... (I know he represents USA).

Or am I overlooking Kento Momota.
 

DerekNoleFam1

Hall of Fame
Osaka is American as far as I am concerned.
She grew up there, learned her tennis there.
She can't even speak the language.
 

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
This is a very dumb thread. Who cares what she is.
But for the record she is an American.
Some Dunderhead poster in this thread claimed that she is whatever she "identifies" as.

Nonsense!

She came here at age three. That means her earliest memories are of America. For all intents and purposes she was born and raised in America. Listen to her accent and the way she talks. Look at her vulgar rapper boyfriend.

She is an American. As American as Michael Chang and Serena.

But she shrewdly follows the $$$ and plays up the Japanese angle despite not even being able to speak the language fluently.

Osaka is American as far as I am concerned.
She grew up there, learned her tennis there.
She can't even speak the language.

This is the correct answer.
 
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Pandora Mikado

Semi-Pro
Why even have Asian as a category? What's the point? Chinese are not Japanese are not Korean are not Mongolian are not Vietnamese are not Thai etc
2782-A37-E-F99-B-46-A7-9-AD5-FB79-A205-B3-BE.jpg
 
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Deleted member 688153

Guest
i get that the whole point of this thread and the other one is for OP to start the argument about comparing the men's and women's tours but it's kinda lame cos they're not replying

you gotta commit
next please
 

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
You might be able to steal everything, but surely not everyone!

Your beloved former leader used to deport children born in America despite their earliest memories.

This is a very dumb thread. Who cares what she is.
But for the record she is an American.

She came here at age three. That means her earliest memories are of America. For all intents and purposes she was born and raised in America. Listen to her accent and the way she talks. Look at her vulgar rapper boyfriend.

She is an American. As American as Michael Chang and Serena.

But she shrewdly follows the $$$ and plays up the Japanese angle despite not even being able to speak the language fluently.
 

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
You might be able to steal everything, but surely not everyone!

Your beloved former leader used to deport children born in America despite their earliest memories.

You are misinformed. We shall enlighten you.
Anyone born in America automatically gains all the rights of U.S. citizenship.
They cannot be deported. The parents are another issue.
 

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
Yes, well, unless minors are allowed to stay with their parents in America they are being effectively deported.

So your legalese reveals your depravity.

And, in any event, three year olds who dream America can be deported, as you've admitted, so being culturally American doesn't make you American.

Hence, Osaka is not American by your own reasoning.

You are misinformed. We shall enlighten you.
Anyone born in America automatically gains all the rights of U.S. citizenship.
They cannot be deported. The parents are another issue.
 

daphne

Hall of Fame
I liked Mikey Chang, but Osaka has something special, atm I still do thing she is hyped up a lot, and needs to do better at clay and grass to be considered a great, however, surely the best Asian ever?
She is not Asian but black, so she needs to beat SW first.
 

fishpiefriday

Semi-Pro
I don't think Osaka considers herself Asian. I think she identifies as black. Japanese is only her nationality, but racially she seems to identify more as being black. Kind of like Tiger Woods. I've never heard him talk about his Asian side.
I think she identifies as both, she mainly eats Japanese food, for example.
 

Hitman

Bionic Poster
Not really agreeing with the comparison with Chang, firstly he is American, and secondly mens and womens tour are two different things completely.
 

MarkD

New User
Sharapova is the first Asian player to win a slam and all 4 slams. Nyagan is geographically in Asia and Sharapova is predominantly Finno Ugric genetically. Unless Osaka can win all 4 slams, she is not better than Sharapova.
 

MarkD

New User
First, she does not have US citizenship. Second, Japan does not recognize the existence of Asia as a continent. You can say she is best Japanese player, but not best Asian player.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
First, she does not have US citizenship. Second, Japan does not recognize the existence of Asia as a continent. You can say she is best Japanese player, but not best Asian player.

They don't?? How do they divide up the continents then?
 
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