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US Open 2024 is a refreshing mix of diversity and talent

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This 12 months’s US Open has featured major Black American tennis stars to date, including Coco Gauff, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys and Ben Shelton, but there are other players from the African diaspora representing other countries who seem poised to make an impact and proceed to diversify the sport of tennis.

The Frenchman and two women, one from Italy and one from Japan, showed impressive play of their first-round matches and are capable of going far within the tournament.


Arthur Fils isn’t yet a household name, however the 20-year-old from France has the abilities and personality to turn into one. Already ranked twenty fourth on the earth, Fils is coming off a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon in July, his best Grand Slam performance. His stocky construct, strength and speed are reminiscent of former French tennis player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Fils has a flair for the dramatic that recalls longtime French star Gael Monfils.

Fils says he enjoys playing on the US Open and the fans actually feel the identical way.

“I felt almost at home playing today,” Fils said after his first-round victory over American student Tien. “I played against an American guy, but the crowd was good to me and cheered me on, so I like playing in the US Open.”

Fils will play unseeded Gabriel Diallo, a Canadian of Guinean and Ukrainian descent, within the second round on Thursday. Fils likes the progress he has revamped the past 12 months and attributes much of his growth to the mental side of his game.

“I think I’m playing great and I’m improving my game, I’m getting better and better,” he said. “I didn’t get mad today. I stayed calm, you know? I could have (broken) a few rackets, but I didn’t. I stayed calm and just controlled myself, and I think that helped me a lot today and overall.”

Jasmine Paolini hits a ball to defeat Bianca Andreescu in the primary round of the ladies’s singles tournament on the US Open on the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center on August 27 in New York.

Italian Jasmine Paolini, the daughter of a Ghanaian-Polish mother and an Italian father, has had quite the 12 months in 2024. The 28-year-old had never reached the third round of a Grand Slam until this 12 months, when she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and then reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon. Paolini is the primary woman to achieve the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon in the identical 12 months since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 2016.

The 6-foot-4, feisty and perpetually discouraged Paolini and her newfound top-five game (she is currently ranked fifth on the earth) must be a crowd favorite on the US Open.

“It’s nice to play in front of a crowd tonight,” she said after her first-round three-set victory over 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. Fifth-seeded Paolini advanced to the third round after unseeded Karolina Pliskova He retired because of an ankle injury just three points of their second-round match on Thursday. “It’s something great that I’m attempting to enjoy.

“I know I’m playing well, I’m playing well, but every tournament is different. I knew it was a really tough first round, so I tried to stay focused, stay in the present and try to play a good match.”

Although the Americans have recognized Naomi Osaka because the heir to the throne and she herself grew up within the United States, from New York to Florida to California, Osaka was born in Japan and has represented that country for the reason that starting of her tennis profession.

Osaka, of course, is already a household name and a hard-court specialist, in the event you will. She is a four-time Grand Slam champion, has won two US Open titles and two Australian Open titles.

Osaka is also known for helping to lift the problem of mental health within the sports world. After her second Australian Open in 2021, Osaka withdrew from the French Open, citing mental health issues after being fined $15,000 for missing a mandatory news conference. Athletes like gymnast Simone Biles have since shed more light on the problem of mental health.

In 2023, ahead of the Australian Open, Osaka took one other break from tennis, this time announcing that she was expecting her first child with hip-hop artist Cordae.

She’s once more helping to pave the best way for athletes. She left tennis at the height of her profession and is now attempting to reclaim her previously achieved status. The 2024 US Open may very well be the precise time to accomplish that.

“I feel like this court is my home for me, it gives me a lot more confidence,” Osaka said after a surprisingly easy 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tenth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko. “It’s like he’s walking in knowing that I probably have the most wins in the game, maybe.”

Naomi Osaka of Japan serves against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the course of the women’s singles match on the US Open on the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center on August 27 in New York.

Osaka’s first-round win over Ostapenko was arguably her best since returning to the game after giving birth to her daughter. She has competed in all 4 Grand Slams this 12 months, but lost in the primary round of the Australian Open and lost within the second rounds of the French Open and Wimbledon. But it was her performance within the loss to No. 1-ranked Iga Świątek on the French Open that made the tennis world take notice that Osaka was on the verge of regaining her former form. She lost a three-set thriller by which she let a match point slip away from her.

“I’m really happy that I played in all the tournaments this year. Even though the results weren’t the best, I feel like I was able to learn from each of those matches,” she said.

Based on her first-round match and her previous experience on the US Open, Osaka may very well be a serious threat to fight for the title this 12 months, similar to within the old days. Osaka will face unseeded Karolina Muchova within the second round.

“To win two (champions) here means a lot,” she said. “I’ve struggled with my confidence all year, and now it forces me to look in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, you did really well here, there’s no reason you can’t do well again.’”

These three international players, together with a strong group of black players representing the United States, bring a refreshing mix of diversity, personality and talent to this 12 months’s US Open.

Jamal Murphy is a sportswriter, attorney, executive producer, and co-host of the Bill Rhoden On Sports podcast. Jamal has covered and written in regards to the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, boxing, and fantasy sports. The Brooklyn native is recovering from his injuries to the Knicks and Jets, but he’s still sticking with the Mets.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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76ers player Joel Embiid suspended by NBA for pushing a reporter

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Joel Embiid, NBA


After a physical altercation with a reporter who mentioned his son and deceased siblings in an article, Philadelphia 76ers player Joel Embiid was suspended by the NBA for three games.

According to , there might be a suspension start in the primary match wherein he’s eligible and in a position to play. Embiid has yet to play this young season. He is disciplined for pushing columnist Marcus Hayes after the 76ers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 2.

“Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and the media in the NBA,” Joe Dumars, executive vp and head of Basketball Operations, said in a written statement. “While we understand that Joel was offended by the personal nature of the reporter’s original version of the column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and must never become physical.”

reported that Embiid was bad in Hayes after he mentioned his brother, who died in a automotive accident 10 years ago, and his son, Arthur, who was named after his deceased brother.

In the article, Hayes wrote: “Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son Arthur as a major turning point in his basketball profession. He often says he desires to be great and leave a legacy for a boy named after his younger brother, who tragically died in a automotive accident when Embiid was in the primary yr of his 76er profession.

After discovering that the paragraph had upset a 76ers player, Hayes took to social media to apologize and inform the general public that he had transcribed the passage.

Embiid was not moved by the apology in any respect, as he mentioned the disrespect he received on November 1 while talking to reporters.

“Like this guy, he isn’t here, Marcus, whatever his name is, I’ve done way an excessive amount of for this fucking town to treat me like this. A hell of a lot has been done. I wish I might be as lucky as others, but that doesn’t suggest I’m not trying and doing every little thing in my power to be there soon.

On November 2, after a confrontation with a reporter, Embiid threatened him after which pushed Hayes away.

“Next time you mention my dead brother and son again, you’ll see what I’ll do to you and I’ll have to… live with the consequences,” Embiid told him.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Joel Embiid and when criticism of athletes goes too far

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It doesn’t appear to be almost three years have passed since one of Philadelphia’s favorite sons knocked the taste out of Chris Rock’s mouth. I remember the initial outrage and how people insisted this is able to be the top of Will Smith’s profession. In a fun twist of irony, a series of movies called “Bad Boys” brought Smith back to prominence and reminded people of his greatness.

I could not help but think of The Slap because the Philadelphia 76ers play center Joel Embiid – pushed columnist Marcus Hayes after the columnist made a cheesy shot in a single of his comments. It was a banner week for Philadelphia sports icons like former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce barbed a rowdy call on Penn State’s campus after a “fan” used a homophobic slur against his brother. Kelce apologized, saying he was met with “hate hate.” But is not that the American way?

These incidents were a reminder of how comfortable society is with crossing boundaries to attack athletes, but most individuals only discover with these conflicts when they turn into physical, resembling Kelce’s encounter or Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts versus several bandits in Yankees apparel through the World Series. But what happens when the media gets involved in these attacks?

The NBA’s investigation into the incident led to: suspension for 3 matches for Embiid. “Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and the media in the NBA,” Joe Dumars, NBA executive vp of basketball operations, said in an announcement. “While we understand that Joel was offended by the personal nature of the reporter’s original version of the column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and must never become physical.”

Dumars lacked professionalism and mutual appreciation long before Embiid lost his cool. From my perspective, the Push was not as damaging as this excerpt from Hayes’ short-sighted and insensitive column:

Joel Embiid during Game 6 of the primary round of the playoffs on May 2 in Philadelphia.

AP Photo/Matt Slocum, file

These lines have since been faraway from Hayes’ column, however the damage was done not only by these specific words, but in a general sense. Russell Westbrook’s response to a racist fan needs to be met not only with a swift reprimand, but additionally with actionable steps taken to stop such incidents from happening again. Because we treat athletes as in the event that they are part of the entertainment and not people, we allow incidents to occur because we consider they’re simply part of the circus.

This sense of politics amongst skilled leagues may be more common if some members of the media didn’t fan the flames with their very own antics. People go so far as to call it “journalism,” regardless that our industry will not be nearly reporting or the top product. It’s about how we engage with the community, whether we use words to construct or tear down.

It was hard for me to get mad at “The Slap” or “The Shove” because I understand America. Violence is irrevocably woven into our DNA, each in terms of poverty and politics. The nastiness we allow in our divisive and hyperpolarized politics – which has little room for decency, let alone democracy – has driven this country mad. What does a single punch or stabbing mean in a world where police brutality continues? When will violence against women, each within the family and in health care, proceed?

This generally is a challenge for individuals who need to separate politics from sports, but there has all the time been reciprocity between the 2. This is why LeBron James has to shut up and dribble while the San Francisco 49ers defense finalizes Nick Bosa’s headgear selections and Harrison Butker’s political kicks, regardless of how right-wing, are celebrated. Moreover, the old saying about “sticks and stones” when it involves words has all the time been intellectually dishonest. Words hurt, and what’s more, words are the start of the narrative that drives this particular industry, for higher or for worse. , you say?

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks on the Wells Fargo Center on October 23 in Philadelphia.

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

When media corporations and their underlings, regardless of race and gender, step out of line in a distorted sense of holding athletes accountable, it’s a race to the underside and we’re all losing. Our industry is full of fast food hot takes that not only perpetuate the “fake news” narrative, but additionally devalue each the athlete and what people perceive as journalism.

When – says Embiid that he has done too much for this city for people to say he doesn’t need to play is a comment that goes beyond the court. Contrary to the narrative of individuals who don’t care, athletes put money into their communities in ways in which transcend superficiality or, for cynics, viewing charity as tax write-off. Less than a month ago, I went to Memphis and was impressed by how town has embraced fellow South Carolinian Ja Morant, flaws and all. His teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr., spoke persuasively about players’ conscientiousness when it involves their civil rights legacy on the Freedom Award, the National Civil Rights Museum’s premier event.

Embiid demonstrates this commitment to town in two ways, naming his charitable gestures “In Memory of Arthur.” The faces these initiatives serve are just like mine. And him. They are necessary to those of us who care about greater than just workload management and titles.

The prospect of a championship is really the ironic element of all this. Do you must see Embiid in November or through the playoffs? The Games definitely left their mark on him, but his presence was crucial for this country to win the gold medal. A person needs time to regain his full strength. It’s part of the Process, whether you prefer it or not.

Our industry needs a cultural reset. Our criticism of athletes and celebrities shouldn’t dehumanize them. When celebrities or athletes reply to terrible behavior in a fit of rage, it doesn’t make them any less human. This makes them more human because they repel darkness. Our industry should attempt to do the identical.

Ken J. Makin is a contract author and host of the Makin’ A Difference podcast. Before and after commenting, he thinks about his wife and sons.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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After the bye week, Deion Sanders had a lot on his mind, from rankings to tortillas

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Deion Sanders, Coach Prime, Prime Effect, theGrio.com

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – Deion Sanders imitated the high-pitched sound of a four-wheeled vehicle revving at top speed.

His noise was a reference to standout Travis Hunter hanging around Colorado coach’s Texas mansion over the weekend. In reality, nevertheless, it could have represented the sound of his buffaloes buzzing.

From four-wheelers to rankings and tortilla throwing, Sanders had a lot on his mind as his team returned fresh from a bye week. Buffaloes in twenty first place (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) were so smart and effective in Tuesday’s practice that Sanders rallied the team mid-game to praise them. They thought they were in trouble.

No, only voters. Sanders asked voters not to put his team in the polls, preferring to fly under the radar. Anyway, they’ve.

“Starting is a joke,” Sanders said at his weekly news conference as his team prepares for Saturday’s game at Texas Tech (6-3, 4-2). “Rankings can idiot you. This can get you into a situation where you begin to think that is who you might be – and we do not buy it. We know who we’re.

“If you don’t know who you are yet, something is wrong. If you don’t know who the players are by now, something is wrong. We cannot be fooled by this stupidity.”

For Hunter, his break from football was full of fishing and four-wheeling at night. Sanders heard the roar of an engine in his room and hoped it would not wake his mother or cause something to occur to certainly one of his star players.

“I just hear that and I’m like, ‘I better not fall off the damn thing. The whole country will be at my throat if you fall off that four-wheeler,” Sanders recalled. “But the four-wheeler just makes the sound of going faster than before because it knows better. Then I see a deer flashing on one side of the property and he’s chasing the deer.”

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Hunter is currently chasing the Heisman Trophy, so he barely had time to park his four-wheeler before boarding a plane to University Park, Pennsylvania. There, he competed for faculty football’s top prize, appearing on ESPN’s “GameDay” and Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff.”

Virtually no sleep.

“I get up, see him on TV and just burst out laughing. I’m like, ‘You just left,'” Sanders said. “I didn’t even know he would make his rounds so early. …I believe only Travis has the type of energy that he could walk from town to town all day.

“He is a lovely, likeable young man and I am proud of him.”

The Buffaloes are rolling toward Texas Tech, having won three in a row for the first time since the 2001-02 season. A season ago, they had a record of 2-4 on the road.

When asked if his team learned anything from the defeat, Sanders didn’t take the bait.

“I’m talking to you from the perspective of a winner. “I’m speaking to you as someone who has experienced setbacks, trials and tribulations, but I don’t rest in failure,” Sanders said. “I’m not complacent. I do not rest in such areas because I do know who I’m, what I’m like, where I’m going and the way to get there.

With a month left in the season, the Buffaloes still have every part in front of them – a shot at a conference title and maybe a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Not that this was a surprise to Sanders.

“That’s what we train for. I mean, this is one of the only teams in the country that has been lied to, cheated on, talked about and abused – that’s the song, right?” Sanders snapped. “We have been through a lot and we are prepared for this moment. We are not afraid of what we expect. We expect to be in it. We expect to be where we are.”

Red Raiders win a great victory in Ames, Iowa No. 17 Iowa State. Sanders knows the Buffaloes have a lot of labor ahead of them as they travel to Lubbock, Texas.

“A daunting challenge,” Sanders said. “We like it. We will probably be booed. I heard they were throwing. Are these tacos?

Tortillas, with a tradition of throwing tortillas amongst Texas Tech students during games.

“Is this legal?” Sanders said jokingly. “But yes, we will try to get them to empty these things.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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