Osaka joins protests by pulling out of Western & Southern Open

Naomi Osaka announced she's withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open, joining numerous athletes across the sports world who protested police brutality and racial injustice on Wednesday.

Osaka's decision came just hours after the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks opted not to take the court for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic, using their platform instead to call for justice after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

"Before I am (an) athlete, I am a Black woman. And as a Black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis," Osaka said on Twitter. "I don't expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction."

She added, "Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach. I'm exhausted of having a new hashtag pop up every few days and I'm extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again. When will it ever be enough?"

Osaka, the world No. 10, was scheduled to play Elise Mertens in the semifinals Thursday morning.

The Bucks' decision not to partake in Game 5 of their playoff series prompted widespread walkouts on Wednesday; two additional NBA games were postponed, and the WNBA followed suit shortly after. Some MLB and MLS games were also called off after players refused to take the field.

The shooting of Blake, who was unarmed, was captured on video and ignited protests in several U.S. cities. A white police officer shot the 29-year-old seven times in the back, leaving him paralyzed, his family's attorney said.

The incident came three months after the police killing of George Floyd triggered demonstrations worldwide, leading numerous athletes - including Osaka - to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement while demanding change.