Posted on 09/05/2025 9:14:24 PM PDT by nickcarraway
One of the US Open's biggest stars gave up her American citizenship in 2019.
Nationality is a big deal in tennis, with players representing their home countries at every tournament including the US Open. Some also fly their flags at international events like the Davis Cup and the women's equivalent named after Billie Jean King. However, some players have chosen to renounce their nationalities and play under the banner of other countries.
Earlier this year, Daria Kasatkina switched her sporting allegiance from Russia to Australia. She had been an outspoken critic of the war in Ukraine and the anti-LGBTQ+ laws in her country of origin. As an openly gay athlete, the 28-year-old chose to play under the Australian flag having been granted permanent residency in March.
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Naomi Osaka copies Cristiano Ronaldo with controversial actions at US Open
Naomi Osaka, meanwhile, plays as a Japanese athlete despite having lived the vast majority of her life in the United States. She was born in Japan but moved to New York with her family when she was just four years old.
When it was time to decide which nationality Osaka would represent, her parents chose Japan with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) not showing a great deal of interest.
Her mother told the Wall Street Journal: "We made the decision that Naomi would represent Japan at an early age. She was born in Osaka and was brought up in a household of Japanese and Haitian culture.
"Quite simply, Naomi and her sister Mari have always felt Japanese so that was our only rationale. It was never a financially motivated decision nor were we ever swayed either way by any national federation."
Osaka relinquished her US citizenship in 2019 to play at the next year's Olympics
Osaka relinquished her US citizenship in 2019 to play at the next year's Olympics (Image: GETTY) Osaka, who is through to the quarter-finals of the US Open, explained the decision was mostly her father's choice but she agreed that it made sense for her to represent Japan.
"My dad thought that since I grew up around my mom and I have a lot of Japanese relatives, I don’t know," she told the New York Times. "I don’t necessarily feel like I’m American. I wouldn’t know what that feels like."
Osaka was previously classed a citizen of both countries but relinquished her US citizenship in 2019. She wanted to play for Japan at the following year's Olympics and would not have been allowed to do so as a dual citizen.
The law in Japan also requires dual citizens to choose between their two citizenships by their 22nd birthday. Failure to do so would put a person at risk of losing their Japanese nationality.
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I have never, ever supported dual citizenship for any American. Just don’t buy it.
You are in, or you are out. But that is me.
I think a lot of people felt that way, but who decided to change the law?
Don’t really care what she does.
But if she’s no longer an American citizen, send her butt back to Osaka. She no longer has any business here.
The Japanese would never accept her.
That’s pretty much the way I feel.
Bull Dyke?
I dunno. I think my son was born with dual citizenship. But he says he’s American, so whatever other citizenship he might have is moot.
I met a Canadian who was dual American/Canadian. He was visiting from Canada, but took time to vote in a US election during his visit.
As long as someone isn’t spouting anti-American slogans, what does it matter whether they have dual citizenship?
Because her father is Haitian? I know they can be pretty racist towards other races, so I would agree there would be some of that.
I worked for a guy who in a previous job had worked for years in Japan, was fluent in the language and understood the culture pretty well.
He went to a Japanese professional baseball game, and sitting in the stands right behind him were two Japanese men who were saying really rude things about him as if he wasn’t even there.
He was what I think would be a typical “Gaijin” in the Japanese culture, big guy with bright blue eyes and black hair.
He concluded they were speaking that way because they assumed he didn’t know Japanese, and he turned to face them and said in fluent, unaccented Japanese in his politest voice:
I am sorry my presence here is causing you so much difficulty. I would be more than happy to find another seat so you can better enjoy the game.”
He said they were so ashamed and horrified that they instantly got up and left!
It isn’t a hill I would die on. But I don’t agree with it.
I have a friend who has dual Canadian citizenship, and he keeps it as an alternative if something goes bad. I don’t care for that, but he is one of my best friends, very conservative, and I respect him.
But in today’s world, I admire someone like Stephen Crowder who, because what is going on up there, renounces his Canadian citizenship. I respect that approach.
Different folks, different strokes I guess.
>> You are in, or you are out. But that is me.
Well, that describes me, too.
I’ve never been fond of ex-pats, either. I find them particularly annoying, frankly. “Ha ha! I found a cheap place to live, you ‘merican chumps! MAIL ME MY SOCIAL SECURITY! ROFL!” A pox on them.
This golfer babe has made its choice. NEVER AGAIN allow her within our shores! Not even for a week to play golf!
Another reason they hate Massie:
Rep. Massie Introduces Legislation Requiring Political Candidates to Disclose Dual Citizenship.
I agree. The very idea of “dual citizenship” is insane.
On the tennis circuit, it is assumed that you are lesbian. Coming out as straight is a shock.
This is my country and no other that is why!?!?!!!!!!
My bet is at 99% she and her greedy parents are lying. Did she renounce her US citizenship and formally give it up? Until I see evidence of this, she is lying.
Doesn’t the best player in baseball still refuse to speak English?
So she was a Japanese citizen, playing under a Japanese flag.
I am not sure what the story is.
People with dual citizenship make these decisions every day.
She really needs to get to know her heritage by going to Haiti and living there full time.
It’s interesting they brought that up...
Not sure the story mentioned it, and if it is relevant here, but in Japan, IF you are born in Japan with duel citizenship, when you reach 20 years old, you must choose the citizenship you want. You can only have one in Japan (after 20yo).
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