Tennis news - Naomi Osaka to donate her Cincinnati prize money to Haitian earthquake relief
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/08/2021 at 09:17 GMT
Naomi Osaka will be putting her prize money won at the Western & Southern Open to good use. The Japanese world number two is known for using her status to highlight causes she cares about. She wore masks at last year's US Open with the names of victims of police violence on them and also attended Black Lives Matter rallies.
Naomi Osaka
Image credit: Getty Images
Naomi Osaka says she will be donating her prize money from the Western & Southern Open this week to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the country on Saturday which has seen the death toll rise to over 1,200 people and more than 5,700 injured, according to the country's civil protection agency.
In response Osaka - whose father is Haitian - has pledged financial support to help those who need it.
"Really hurts to see all the devastation that's going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can't catch a break," Osaka wrote on Twitter.
I'm about to play a tournament this week and I'll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we'll keep rising.
The total purse for the women's side of the tournament is $2.8 million (£2.02 million).
Osaka reached the final of the WTA Premier 5 competition last year but had to withdraw with a hamstring injury.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has a first-round bye as the second seed at the Cincinnati event which runs until August 22.
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