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.
She can be a Jap if she wants. So what?
I’m confused. If her father is from Haiti and her mother is Japanese how did she get to be an American and how come her name is Osaka? That’s Japanese not Haitian.
One of our best friends was a Haitian man. From the post war Haitian community in NYC. Second generation American.A more intelligent interesting well traveled sophisticated businessmsn I have not known. He worked internationally and never ever went to Haiti.
What law could prevent it? I’m a dual citizen. Two passports. The US government has no way of knowing that fact.
“I have never, ever supported dual citizenship for any American. Just don’t buy it.”
FedGov has never formally recognized dual citizenship in any U.S. American.
Has it done everything else that is conceivable to accommodate those who consider themselves dual citizens?
Yep.
It seems to be schizophrenic on the issue. Probably for purposes of diplomacy.
People who need “dual citizenship” really disgust me. When America was great, immigrants were great too. They came here for freedom and opportunity. They gave up all allegiance to the country and royalty they came here to get away from. They didn’t beg for handouts. Now that America has gone full retarded third world, the immigrants are worthless panhandling beggers and they all need to be deported. They aren’t Americans and they will never be Americans.
All talk, no action?
I suspect most dual citizens have that status through no decision of their own, but through parental relationships. If you are born in the U.S. and one of your parents is Canadian, then you are automatically a dual citizen through no effort on your part.
That’s how we got stuck with an ineligible nominee from Jamaica/India/Canada for POTUS. We got a creepy dual citizenship Dipstick Court judgee telling the President he has to dump billions if American taxpayer dollars on the USAID thieves in the crap holes of the world.
To: nickcarraway
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.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
that should include federal judges & CONgress critters, imom
Will she return sponsors’ money?
I agree. Dual citizenship never made sense to me.
If dual citizenship makes sense, why stop with two nations?
I have two modest homes in different states. I’m not allowed two legal residences. I pay property taxes in both states but only vote in the state in which I am a legal resident.
Many of them were very vocally anti/US, as well, though no one wants to talk about that.
After Pearl Harbor the US military was terrified of an attack on the US west coast, which was ridiculously and totally undefended. Fully 80% of American aircraft manufacturing was on the west coast and well within gun boat range of the coast.
Scared hardly describes the feelings of the military!!
Gen. Stillwell was sent there to assess and set up defenses. Said he never slept because of the nightmares he was having. Thousands of unvetted Japanese Americans at large made things worse!
“I have never, ever supported dual citizenship for any American.”
Yes. That has to end now.
Some pol (Jordan?) is kicking around a bill that only people BORN in American can qualify for POTUS, Congress, Senate. This dual citizenship issue should be included.
I’m entitled to citizenship in as many as three other countries besides the US. Not interested.
And we knew, from decoding intercepted Japanese naval and diplomatic radio communication, that the Japanese government was attempting to operate espionage and sabotage operations on the west coast.
Lost all respect for Osaka when she jumped on the BLM bandwagon and criticized the US as racist. She would never be accepted by the Japanese and yet here she is in the US taking advantage of all our country offers then turns around and rips us. I was so happy to see her beaten at The Open.
I know she's just a tennis player whose life revolves around the court, but maybe she should learn to be quiet about what she doesn't know.
Tennis, but yeah, I agree.
I’d guess that many, if not most, dual citizens are people, like my daughter, who was born while their parents were serving with the U.S. military or U.S. diplomatic service somewhere overseas.
Hate Trump person.
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