Serena Williams Naomi Osaka: Serena Williams reveals that she sent a letter of apology to Naomi Osaka after the controversial US Open defeat

Last year, Naomi Osaka defeat tennis legend Serena Williams in the Women's Open final, winning her first Grand Slam title and becoming the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles championship. However, the celebration was partially eclipse by Williams' dispute with a chair umpire during the final phase of the US Open which gave him several penalties.

In a new essay for Harper's August Bazaar – for which Williams makes the cover – the 23-time Grand Slam champion revealed that she had apologized to her opponent, for the "debacle" that had "ruined something that should have been incredible and historic."

the athlete explained the match stuck with her when she came home, keeping her awake while she was trying to fall asleep. "Why can not I express my frustrations like everyone else? If I were a man, would I be in this situation? What makes me so different? Is it because I am a woman? "

However, she added in her first-person essay that the injury was "different" and that she "could not shake the feeling that it was much more than me." She explained her "broken heart" thinking that what should have been a wonderful moment in Osaka's career was taken away from her.

the Super star The revealed days passed, but she still could not "find peace" and even began to see a therapist. Still, she was not "ready" to take a racket. She then realized that the only way she could move on was to apologize to Osaka. "I started typing, slowly at first, then faster, as if the words were coming out of me," she writes.

She included the full text of the letter in the article:

"Hey, Naomi!" Is Serena Williams. "As I said on court, I'm so proud of you and I'm really sorry, I thought I was doing what I needed to do. but I did not know that the media are fighting against each other, I would like to have the chance to relive that moment, I am, and will always be happy for you and I will support you. never, never, that the light is coming off from another woman, especially another black athlete.I'm looking forward to seeing your future and believe me, I will always look at her as a big fan! Today and tomorrow's success, I'm so proud of you again, all my love and your fan, Serena. "

She also included Osaka's answer, which caused tears of tears on her face. "People can misinterpret anger as a force because they can not differentiate between the two," she said, according to Williams. "No one has defended you as you do and you must continue to do pioneering work."

the mother of one and then rotated, to include a broader context, explaining how the incident was representative of how women in the work force are treated on a daily basis. "We are not allowed to have emotions, we are not allowed to be passionate, be quiet, which is frankly not a thing that suits me, it is shameful that our society is penalizing women just because they are themselves. "

The 2018 final will forever be remembered Williams he's faced up with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, demanding an apology after initially throwing a warning for code violation in the second game of the second set of the second set for being coached, which is not the case. is not allowed during the Grand Slam matches.

Later in the game, she broke her racket on the field, destroying her, which resulted in a second violation of the code – and automatically cost Williams one point. When she realized that the next match had started with Osaka in front of 15 loves, Williams told Ramos that he should have withdrawn his initial warning.

"I have never cheated in my life!" Williams said. "You owe me an apology."

She resumed the discussion with Ramos later, saying, "You stole a point, you are also a thief." He responded by issuing a third code violation, resulting in a lost part. That made 5-3 for Osaka.

The victory was again tarnished when thousands of spectators mocked several times during the trophy ceremony while Osaka and Williams were crying.

Williams defended his opponent, put an arm around his shoulder and told the crowd, "Let's make the moment the best moment possible. We will overcome that and be positive. So congratulations, Naomi. No more booing. "