Serena Williams reveals she texted Naomi Osaka to apologize for her US Open outburst

Serena Williams has revealed that she 'started seeing a therapist' after her outburst at the umpire during her US Open final match against Noami Osaka last year in order to find some 'answers' about how to deal with the aftermath of the controversial incident.  

The 37-year-old made headlines in September 2018 when competing for her 24th Grand Slam singles title against Naomi, 21. During the match, Serena received three violations from the umpire after she attempted to defend herself when he penalized her for signaling to her coach — something the tennis player said she wasn't doing. 

In a personal essay with Harper's Bazaar, Serena wrote about her perspective from that day and why she prioritized apologizing to Naomi after the backlash that followed the match, while confessing that the whole 'debacle' left her feeling unable to return to tennis for 'a long while'. 

'I could not have been happier for her,' Serena, who has one a total of 39 Grand Slams, wrote. 'As for me, I felt defeated and disrespected by a sport that I love—one that I had dedicated my life to and that my family truly changed, not because we were welcomed, but because we wouldn’t stop winning.' 

Serena revealed she returned to her home in Florida and was left 'hurt' and 'cut deeply' by the events taking place during the match. 

These thoughts brought Serena back to her first time winning a Grand Slam — in 1999 at the age of 17 — and she realized how the moment was taken away from Naomi during her first win. 

'This debacle ruined something that should have been amazing and historic,' Serena wrote, before adding: 'Not only was a game taken from me but a defining, triumphant moment was taken from another player, something she should remember as one of the happiest memories in her long and successful career.' 

But despite giving it time in the hopes that she would move on from the shocking incident, Serena still struggled to come to terms with what had happened. 

'Days passed, and I still couldn’t find peace,' she wrote. 'I started seeing a therapist. I was searching for answers, and although I felt like I was making progress, I still wasn’t ready to pick up a racket.' 

After seeking advice from a therapist, Serena decided to contact Naomi and apologize for what went down between herself and the umpire on the tennis court. 

Sending the text message, Serena believed, was her way to 'move forward' from the match. 

'It was time for me to apologize to the person who deserved it the most,' she confessed. 'I started to type, slowly at first, then faster as if the words were flowing out of me.'

Serena's message to Naomi expressed her pride in the young tennis player on the court while also stating how 'truly sorry' she was for the drama surrounding the match. 

'I would never, ever want the light to shine away from another female, specifically another black female athlete,' she wrote Naomi. 'I can’t wait for your future, and believe me I will always be watching as a big fan! I wish you only success today and in the future.'

The message then signed off with Serena expressing 'all my love' towards Naomi and calling herself a 'fan' of the young tennis player. 

Naomi's response back brought up tears for Serena, as the tennis player graciously said, 'People can misunderstand anger for strength because they can’t differentiate between the two.'

She continued: 'No one has stood up for themselves the way you have and you need to continue trailblazing.'

The conversation between Serena and Naomi helped the mom-of-one move on from the backlash she faced from her outburst on the court, but she confessed to thinking twice before picking up her tennis racket again.  

'I’ll admit, it was a long while before I picked up a racket again,' Serena wrote. 'There is only so much one person can take.' 

Ultimately, it was Serena's one-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia, who encouraged her to return to the sport she loved. 

'My daughter is the reason I use my voice, the reason I picked up a racket again,' she said, adding: 'Love breathes life and newfound perspective into people. It’s not about quitting when someone presents a challenge; it’s about getting up when you are down, dusting yourself off and asking, “Is that the best you got?”' 

Serena said she will continue to use her platform to showcase the sexism in the workplace for women, stating men in tennis would've never experienced the calls she received during the US Open. 

'When men fight back against the referees, they’re met with a smile or even a laugh from the umpire, as if they’re sharing an inside joke,' she wrote, describing how her incident compared to others she has seen on the court.

'I’m not asking to avoid being penalized. I am asking to be treated the same way as everyone else. Sadly, that’s simply not the world we currently live in.' 

Serena said she has never had it 'easy' in the industry, experiencing incidents such as getting paid less based on her sex and opponents cheating. 

But the tennis star knows that by using her voice to speak out against these incidents, she just might be able to help another athlete who looks like her in the future of the sport.    

Source: Daily Mail

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