Days after bringing up Haiti's independence debt, Naomi Osaka makes grand show of her heritage at Miami Open

The crowd in Miami witnessed patriotism from Naomi Osaka who beamed with pride as she saw a fan waving the Haitian flag in the stands. She borrowed it and wrapped the country's colors around her shoulders.

Osaka was born in Japan but has strong ties to Haiti through her father. She grew up immersed in both cultures with the Japanese roots of her mother. The WTA star takes pride in her Haitian heritage and actively supports the country. This includes raising awareness about Haiti and donating notable amounts to aid its recovery from natural disasters.

The four-time Grand Slam champion also wears symbols representing the nation to express her love for it.

After defeating Liudmila Samsonova with a commanding 6-2, 6-4 victory, Naomi Osaka walked toward the players' area and was met with an outpouring of support. A clip of her celebration with the fan's flag was shared by The Tennis Letter on X.

The 27-year-old signed the flag and returned it to her fan. The moment was celebrated with more loud cheers from the crowd in Miami.

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Naomi Osaka steps forward in Haiti's defense as French MP asks America to return Statue of Liberty

Naomi Osaka at Miami Open Presented by Itau 2025 - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Naomi Osaka has reminded France about the burden that Haiti has been allegedly carrying for a long time. When a French MP questioned America's credibility to continue holding the Statue of Liberty, Osaka took a bold stand to remind him of Haiti's independence debt if "things" were to be "repossessed".

"Since we’re trying to repossess things, can Haiti get their money back?" Osaka wrote on X, resharing the official update from 'NewsWire'.

This comment was a reminder to Raphael Glucksmann about the impositions on Haiti after its independence in 1804. The nation was bound to fulfil French demands of compensation for lost property. Haiti ended up paying 90 million gold francs but experienced a turbulent start in terms of economic growth.

Currently possessing a massive form, Osaka is now looking forward to her upcoming showdown against Hailey Baptiste in Miami.