Why the Osaka dislike?

[RF-18]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

How is she lying? By blood she is not American. She is Japanese and Haitian. She was just raised and lived in America.

 

[Nostradamus]

How is she lying? By blood she is not American. She is Japanese and Haitian. She is just raised and lived in America.

she will get and make millions more if she stays Japanese. her publicist did the research and this was the case. if she get USA citizenship and declare to be American , she will lose Millions of dollors from Japanese company endorsements

 

[tennisfan17]

I actually had the exact same reaction when I read the thread about her split with her coach. There seem to be some people who have a bias against her already, going as far as calling her selfish, vindictive and being a "mindless exotic looking ball basher" (the last of which I consider a racist comment). Osaka has the rare combination of speed and power which see very rarely on the women's tour, so it's something to be appreciated for sure.

The Japan point should not be an issue at all. The USTA did not try to recruit her until she was 16 years old. Can you imagine that? Someone with her talent not getting recruited by the USTA which probably has the biggest player development budget of any country. If it were me, I would not play for the USA either based on that. Plus she was born in Japan so she has legitimate Japanese heritage so nothing wrong with playing for Japan.

Fully agree about the racism in the "exotic" comment. And I agree fully as well on USTA missing out on the prospect.

 

[RF-18]

she will get and make millions more if she stays Japanese. her publicist did the research and this was the case. if she get USA citizenship and declare to be American , she will lose Millions of dollors from Japanese company endorsements

That's her call to make. But nobody should be upset for choosing Japan. She is from there.

 

[ihitlikeagirl]

Someone is butthurt because she has the double Japanese-American nationality and choose to represent Japan.

I think it's smart that she chose to represent Japan where she was almost guaranteed to become and stay for quite a while the number 1 Japanese player and the US field is deep enough that would have never been close to a guarantee. Plus endorsements and huge fan base. Probably a great business decision. Lots of Olympic athletes do this too. Along with other tennis players.

I think it's a little different btw to working within a company of people who brought the company success but that you don't get along with. The coach-player relationship is a lot closer than a work relationship at a company and she has the power of choice. Also if you are not getting along with someone in the workplace, it usually brings a ton of negative energy that can distract you and affect your progress on the whole--so if they were not getting along, this is a good reason to replace him. She seems like she would definitely be affected by a poor working relationship with him. I think in her own right she would have eventually achieved this level of success and in his own right he would be able to achieve good success with whoever he is coaching. Sometimes the dynamic just isn't right or has reached it's end. BTW, totally possible that he's out priced himself for a new contract. Because this was his first coach job rather than hitting partner so he could have been very cheap relatively and now with their success and his proven ability to bring a player to win a grand slam he might have greatly raise his price. So curious as to which it is.

 

[sureshs]

I see a lot of sexism here. When Federer got rid of one coach after another, there was no "dislike." But a woman's male coach is somehow perceived to be different, even if he is a nobody on the tour. The WTA also made a mistake of allowing on-court coaching and televising it. Many had pointed out that this portrays them as weak persons who need a daddy to console them.

 

[DSH]

she speaks with her tennis and at the end the results are all the matters.
she can be called boring, phony, introverted, but if she wins tournaments, especially grand slam and therefore a lot of money and sponsorships, that is what interests her and her environment.
what her detractors think is a matter of forgetting.

 

[RaulRamirez]

I love Naomi. She has speed, power, fluidity, great hands, terrific composure - all the elements of the champion she already is. She handled the Serena meltdown, both during and after, about as well as anyone could have hoped to.

As for her interviews, I think those are terrific as well. Get past the true shyness and the voice; she always manages to make a point or two.

 

[tennis tom]

Yeah the good old days when potential governors could put on blackfaces along with a friend wearing a pointed hat and mask and put the photo in their yearbook were much better.

Also, in public, where everyone is not concerned with your true deep sincere feelings, it is basic decency to not use hurtful words and then hide behind the intent argument, as if you are important enough for anyone to care about your deep beliefs.

And what is this "r" word? Don't recall any such thing but then you are probably lying.

Yup! The "red scare" of the 50's is new again--except this time instead of the Joe McCarthy Republicans, it's the Dimo Party monolithicaly marching in lock-step bringing the "red-scare" back--led by chuckie schumer. et,al. You'd think after all these years they'd be more sophisticated at it. Any criticism of Sirena or Osaka will quickly be labeled "racist" by the language police headed by Suresh. You know guys I think I'm outta' here--not worth being called a "racist" by the PC police every-time they want to quash views that don't go with their agenda. adios!

 

[MatsPhilander]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

Mr Fuji did it for decades.

 

[TMF]

I think it was because it was nice to see someone from the next-generation winning a major title and showing such captivating game style.

Bingo !

The ATP needs the NextGen great player step up to spice up the sport. Still waiting...

 

[BeatlesFan]

Because she’s not American.

"Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka has lived in the United States since she was three years old."

If not technically American, her residence has been in America almost all her life. She has dual citizenship as well. If she holds an American passport and speaks no Japanese, she's American and identifies as such.

 

[MatsPhilander]

I love Naomi. She has speed, power, fluidity, great hands, terrific composure - all the elements of the champion she already is. She handled the Serena meltdown, both during and after, about as well as anyone could have hoped to.

As for her interviews, I think those are terrific as well. Get past the true shyness and the voice; she always manages to make a point or two.

She is the Brad Armstrong of Tennis-highly talented, but sucks on the mic.

 

[WalterSlovotsky]

Is Nishikori filthy rich because he's that great a player or is he rich because of all the Japanese endorsements?

Depends on your definition of filthy rich. With over $22,000,000 in tournament winnings, I would say he is filthy rich because he is a great player.



He is ludicrously rich from all of the Japanese endorsements.

 

[TennisPinkBabe]

As long as she keeps beating up on Serena, who cares what she does or how she acts!

 

[jm1980]

I see a lot of sexism here. When Federer got rid of one coach after another, there was no "dislike." But a woman's male coach is somehow perceived to be different, even if he is a nobody on the tour. The WTA also made a mistake of allowing on-court coaching and televising it. Many had pointed out that this portrays them as weak persons who need a daddy to console them.

Different situations. Fed is so well liked here that he could punch an umpire in the face and there would still be people here defending him.

When Djokovic sacked his entire team the reaction was mostly negative as well

 

[Zara]

Depends on your definition of filthy rich. With over $22,000,000 in tournament winnings, I would say he is filthy rich because he is a great player.

He is ludicrously rich from all of the Japanese endorsements.

No surprises there that Osaka would like to keep her Japanese heritage then though she barely lived there.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

So 5% dislikes her according to the poll. Often the negative/dissatisfied are most vocal.

 

[netlets]

I think it was because it was nice to see someone from the next-generation winning a major title and showing such captivating game style.

She doesn't really play any differently from most of the top young woman - power game - limited variety. I wouldn't call it captivating - just an effective style of tennis that all of the powerful women play. She is simply doing it the best right now.

 

[TMF]

She is the Brad Armstrong of Tennis-highly talented, but sucks on the mic.

She isn't comparable to other players with the mic, but for a fan, it's about enjoying a 2 hours tennis match, not the 10 minutes post match interview.

I mean would one wants to watch a player with a boring defensive/pusher style who is great with a mic or someone who has an exciting/captivating style but is boring with the mic? I prefer the latter.

 

[WalterSlovotsky]

No surprises there that Osaka would like to keep her Japanese heritage then though she barely lived there.

Hasn't her professional association with Japan always largely revolved around financial considerations? That seems to be the general consensus, although that is mostly hearsay. She certainly wouldn't be the first one to make that decision. In the end does it really matter? There are only a couple of events in which a player's national affiliation matters. <shrug>

 

[Zara]

A lot of Osaka liking is warped in the Serena incident and do not exactly show true feelings.

 

[TMF]

As long as she keeps beating up on Serena, who cares what she does or how she acts!

I think it's her time now, at least on hard court.

Waiting to see how she fare at Wimbledon. Grass rewards aggressiveness and a huge serve which she has the tools to be a threat there too.

 

[wangs78]

That's her call to make. But nobody should be upset for choosing Japan. She is from there.

The other point I would make is that USTA support on the women's side is currently dominated by the Williams sisters and especially Serena. Case in point was Serena got away with verbally abusing Carlos at the USO. And the commentators always fawning over her no matter what she does. I wouldn't want to be part of the USA machine either when there is a diva of Serena's proportions commanding the stage. Nothing against Serena personally, just that I would rather be big fish in a small pond rather than a minnow in a shark waters.

I wouldn't be surprised if Naomi switches to the US at some point (maybe after Serena retires) when the USTA comes out guns blazing in trying to win her over. But I totally think that her representing Japan right now for whatever reason, personal or financial, is the right move.

 

[EloQuent]

Yup! The "red scare" of the 50's is new again--except this time instead of the Joe McCarthy Republicans, it's the Dimo Party monolithicaly marching in lock-step bringing the "red-scare" back--led by chuckie schumer. et,al. You'd think after all these years they'd be more sophisticated at it. Any criticism of Sirena or Osaka will quickly be labeled "racist" by the language police headed by Suresh. You know guys I think I'm outta' here--not worth being called a "racist" by the PC police every-time they want to quash views that don't go with their agenda. adios!

Sir this is a Wendy's.

 

[one-hand]

Which of you three wants to ban her. Fess up!

 

[Mainad]

Is Nishikori filthy rich because he's that great a player or is he rich because of all the Japanese endorsements?

As others have pointed out, he is already rich from having been a consistent top 10 player for the last decade but the many endorsements he gets from big Japanese companies has put him in the Super Rich category (I believe Forbes has him as the only other tennis player apart from Federer to make the 10 Richest Sportspersons List).

 

[KarmaKorps]

Her splitting with the coach that brought her two grand slams is no big deal when you consider Nadal splitting with uncle toni who brought him 16 grand slams

Nadal split with Toni after.... 16 grand slams and 17 years, not within 6 months of winning his first grand slam. There's a whole lot of middle ground there.
Aside from that, there could be so many behind the scenes reasons for the split, which makes me unable to render any judgement or bias one way or the other...

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

As others have pointed out, he is already rich from having been a consistent top 10 player for the last decade but the many endorsements he gets from big Japanese companies has put him in the Super Rich category (I believe Forbes has him as the only other tennis player apart from Federer to make the 10 Richest Sportspersons List).

He also says YES to endorse a lot!! Its not like he is forced to endorse. Athletes gets a lot of endorsement offers. I bet Kei would endorse the air he breathe if he could and got paid for it. Takes away time and focus from tennis though. Its not free and easy to endorse, its work.
Federer also doesnt need to endorse so much. They get more endorsement money because they chose to endorse more.

 

[Zara]

As others have pointed out, he is already rich from having been a consistent top 10 player for the last decade but the many endorsements he gets from big Japanese companies has put him in the Super Rich category (I believe Forbes has him as the only other tennis player apart from Federer to make the 10 Richest Sportspersons List).

That's where I was going with it at as far as Osaka is concerned that she'd keep in touch with Japan because of the big endorsements. Nishikori was an example.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Suspense, gossip, betrayal and possible double cross, things that happen in a typical soap opera! Nice....

 

[OddJack]

I am thinking she makes more money if she claims she is Japanese.

 

[3lite]

She was born in Osaka, Japan (from where she took her surname) to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father. It's true she has lived most of her life in the US but she chose to represent her country of birth when in her early teens with her family's encouragement. She is not yet fully fluent in Japanese but she is learning the language. To me, her accent already sounds a bit Japanese. Mary Pierce was born in Canada, grew up in the US, but chose to represent her mother's country, France. Maria Sharapova grew up and still lives in the US but has always chosen to represent Russia, her country of birth. Such examples are not uncommon.

Maria is a full blood Russian and has no issues speaking Russian.

And as stuck up as Maria can be at times, she's still more likeable than Serena and Osaka who both carry a facade.

 

[mahesh69a]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

She chose (for whatever reasons) to represent Japan - its her choice (I think its not right to say she is 100% American).

 

[Sentinel]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

Nothing strange about it.
Seems it has to do with Japanese sponsorships.
Kei also plays for Japan but lives in the US.
Some guys lives in Monte Carlo for tax reasons.

That's how the world is.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

In general she's well liked or indifferent, I guess people think she's not treating Bajin right and he made her a star?

She made him a star too.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

I don't understand this criticism.
She could choose to be Croatian tomorrow and I wouldn't care.
It just sounds like butthurt American fans wanting her to be American and making their appreciation or dislike of her depend entirely on her choice of nationality.
Nobody would care about her nationality if she hadn't won anything.
"Why does she LIE...?" The contempt in these words is very palpable.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

I think the coach thing struck a nerve with some people, seems really disloyal that someone that worked hard with you and probably provided a lot of important intel on Serena for the USO final got booted to the curb because she didn't want to pay up. Of course being outsiders we don't know how much of that is true but if that is the case it's pretty low.

It struck me more because of the apparent stupidity of the decision (and I don't know the details, but it still seems like a poor/unprofessional decision on both sides) than as an excuse to start hating on her because a) she's not American or b) she doesn't smile enough.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

From the poll it looks like she is well liked.

If we can get rid of the "America über alles" crowd the percentage will grow to something like 75%.

Exactly this

 

[anfield]

I like her because she has knocked Serena off her perch. I don't like her as much now because of what's happened with Bajin. She also seems fake AF.

 

[Stretchy Man]

If not technically American, her residence has been in America almost all her life. She has dual citizenship as well. If she holds an American passport and speaks no Japanese, she's American and identifies as such.

Where do African Americans and Irish Americans fit into your rules?

 

[Rogfan]

"Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka has lived in the United States since she was three years old."

If not technically American, her residence has been in America almost all her life. She has dual citizenship as well. If she holds an American passport and speaks no Japanese, she's American and identifies as such.

Are you sure she has dual citizenship? A Japanese lady came out to the thread from other week and said Japan doesn’t recognise dual citizenship. If Osaka is representing Japan at the moment, she can’t be holding a US passport at the same time. You seem to have a hard time acceptting people may live in a place for a long time without being a citizen of that country, especially if that country is US.

 

[EloQuent]

She made him a star too.

Yup! But he seems to be acting nicely to her, at least in public.

 

[EloQuent]

Are you sure she has dual citizenship? A Japanese lady came out to the thread from other week and said Japan doesn’t recognise dual citizenship. If Osaka is representing Japan at the moment, she can’t be holding a US passport at the same time. You seem to have a hard time acceptting people may live in a place for a long time without being a citizen of that country, especially if that country is US.

So my understanding is that while Japan doesn't recognize dual citizenship, in practice it's unlikely they will demand she give up her US passport (or her Haitian one if she has one). They will just ignore it.

 

[tacou]

Why does she lie about where she's from? She says she's Japanese but doesn't speak the language, hasn't lived there since she was 3 and doesn't live there now. She is 100% American so it's strange she maintains the charade that she's Japanese.

When has she lied? Her place of birth, parent's heritage, and relationship (or lack thereof) with the USTA is well known to everyone. She is not 100% American..in fact, as far as I know, she is 0% American.

I didn’t read all the recent responses about her split to say, but of those I did read it just feels like maybe people think she is unfairly undercutting him, or that it’s frankly a stupid move to fire the person who brought you from 70-something to number one in such a short time. Well I’ll correct myself - that’s how I feel, but I still like her. About her speaking issues, she does need to improve there. I’m sure she knows that and is working on it.

I can understand this perspective, but not to the point that someone would dislike Osaka for it. First, we have no idea what prompted this split. Second, Sascha obviously was a great help, but Osaka won the events. Wasn't she his first coaching job? Again, a person can be puzzled by the decision, but for people to act like Osaka owes Sascha something is very strange. He was her employee, did his job well, and now she has chosen to move in a different direction.

She doesn't really play any differently from most of the top young woman - power game - limited variety. I wouldn't call it captivating - just an effective style of tennis that all of the powerful women play. She is simply doing it the best right now.

I'd say her serve is quite a bit better than all but maybe 2-3 players on tour.

 

[greenjam]

So my understanding is that while Japan doesn't recognize dual citizenship, in practice it's unlikely they will demand she give up her US passport (or her Haitian one if she has one). They will just ignore it.

I thought dual citizenship is allowed until the age of 22, but then the person has to choose one over the other... but it also rarely gets challenged as there are 1000s over the age of 22 who still hold dual citizenship. It might be different for Naomi as she is so high profile and everyone is speculating what she will do.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

You're totally wrong. She's not lying about where she's from. She's ethnically half Japanese-half Haitian. Just because she doesn't speak the language well doesn't make her any less Japanese. .

It doesn't make her less Haitian, either, but you rarely hear he mention her Haitian side, and most single-minded interviewers and commentators speak about her as if she's Kimiko Date, which is sick to say the least, as they are deliberately pushing aside the fact that she's half Haitian.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

Still 94,6 % finds her ok. I do not get what the discussion is about.

 

[thrust]

Her splitting with the coach that brought her two grand slams is no big deal when you consider Nadal splitting with uncle toni who brought him 16 grand slams

Uncle Tony had been with Rafa for many years, and wanted to leave, or so I think I have read.

 

[heninfan99]

I'm a little tired of her schtick already. Pretending to be shy, lots of pregnant pauses when speaking, almost a kind of false mutism though I can tell her mind is laser sharp.


Dumping her coach has caused quite a stir, no pausing there.