Serena Williams shares the excuses she sent to Naomi Osaka after her opening in the United States

Serena Williams, currently in the middle of another title hunt at Wimbledon, has released a test in Harper's Bazaar today, she exposes the emotional aftermath of her 2018 US Open final. The match, which allowed 20-year-old Naomi Osaka to win the first major title, was tainted by a long referee dispute at the end of the second set.

"This debacle ruined something that should have been incredible and historic," Williams wrote. "Not only has a game been taken, but another decisive and triumphant moment has been taken by another player, a memory of which she should remember as one of the most beautiful memories of her long and successful career."

Williams also shared the excuses she sent to Osaka at the time, as well as excerpts from the young player's response:

Days passed and I still could not find peace. I started to see a therapist. I was looking for answers, and even if I felt like I was making progress, I was still not ready to take a racket. Eventually, I realized that there was only one way for me to go from front to side. It was time that I apologize to the person who deserved it the most. I started typing, slowly at first, then faster, as if the words were coming out of me.

"Hey, Naomi! It's Serena Williams. As I said in the field, I am so proud of you and I am really sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by undoing. But I did not know that the media would oppose us. I would like to have the chance to relive that moment. I am, and always will be happy for you and I will support you. I would never, ever, want the light to illuminate another woman, especially another black athlete. I can not wait for your future and believe me, I will always look like a big fan! I wish you success today and in the future. Once again, I am so proud of you. All my love and your fan, Serena.

When Naomi's answer was received, tears ran down my face. "People can misinterpret anger as a force because they can not differentiate between the two," she said graciously. "No one has defended you as you do and you must continue to do pioneering work."

The idea that "the media" had [them] against each other "feels like an incomplete account of what went wrong that day. When Osaka cried during the trophy ceremony, it was probably not because of headlines or sports radio talk that would be produced in the days to come. It was probably because something confusing and upsetting had just happened on the court and the crowd had booed audibly the crowd during what should have been a victorious moment.

Any criticism of Williams is a rhetorical minefield, as it rewards some of the craziest racists in the area who are constantly searching for ammunition. So, to keep it simple: Serena Williams' life and career required an incredible challenge to racism and misogyny. Despite the framing of his essay, it is always difficult to read this incident in this match as an example of that same challenge – as opposed to a GOAT losing its cool, in much the same way in a long career of GOAT. The courtesy that any viewer should give to Serena Williams is the freedom to lose her cool sometimes and recognize those moments, what they are, a year after the fact.

[[[[Harper's Bazaar]