PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 30: Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a backhand shot in her First Round match against Maria Tig of Romania during Day One of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros on May 30 at Roland Garros on May 30, 2021 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tnani Badreddine/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has pledged to donate her prize money from the upcoming Western & Southern Open to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
The Caribbean country was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which has left over 1,200 people dead and thousands injured. Haiti is still reeling from the disastrous effects of the 2010 earthquake, which killed over 200,000 civilians and devastated an already compromised economy and infrastructure.
Osaka, whose father is Haitian-born, tweeted out her support: “Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break. I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts in Haiti. I know our ancestors’ blood is strong we’ll keep rising.”
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