Dinner for Black Tennis Players Highlights Challenges

During the French Open, tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend hosted a dinner for black professional players. Osaka expressed that being a minority in tennis can often feel “isolating.”

Ranked No. 16 in women’s singles, Osaka shared photos from the dinner on her Instagram, along with Townsend, who sits at No. 72 in singles and No. 2 in doubles.

Osaka remarked, “Being a minority in a sport like tennis can be very isolating, but the positive is… to be able to support all black people, frankly. Our existence is a gift, and we are so grateful for the gift of our colleagues.”

Townsend also quoted Tupac Shakur in her Instagram post, saying, “Some say the darker the berries, the sweeter the juice. They say the darker the color of the flesh, the deeper the roots.”

Noteworthy attendees included world No. 4 Coco Gauff, doubles player Asia Muhammad, and former player Christopher Eubanks.

In the face of criticism, Osaka pointed out that similar “whites-only” events already exist. She questioned, “What makes you uncomfortable about racialized people coming together?” Reflecting on her upbringing, she mentioned witnessing her father face discrimination, even with police involvement at tennis courts.

“There are many things in my life that I would like to apologize for, but I will not apologize for celebrating being black and proud of who we are,” she added.

The dinner took place at Soho House, a private club with locations globally, including Paris. According to Townsend, they even had a social media coordinator and a professional photographer present.

In upcoming matches, Townsend will compete against Gauff in the first round of the French Open, while Osaka is set to play against German Laura Siegemund. Both matches are scheduled for Tuesday.

Gauff previously spoke to reporters about the political climate in the United States during the Australian Open, acknowledging the online struggles as a Black woman and emphasizing her commitment to supporting marginalized communities through donations and advocacy.