Naomi Osaka has social media users spiraling in a FOMO-fueled meltdown over a black excellence celebration.
The 28-year-old invited several players off the French Open tennis courts for an invite-only gathering.
Osaka, however, isn’t extending a lifeline to those bothered by the exclusive dinner after hitting back at backlash online.
The tennis champ is doubling down on the celebration and not batting an eye at those who feel left out.
The half-Japanese, half-Haitian-American athlete co-hosted a dinner for Black tennis phenoms alongside Taylor Townsend.
The dinner was held on Saturday, May 23, at Paris’ Soho House amid the Roland Garros tournament.
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Guests included Coco Gauff, Gael Monfils, Taylor Townsend, Asia Muhammad and Chris Eubanks.
Townsend and Osaka both shared carousel recaps from the “Black AF” evening.
The former wrote, “This dinner that was much bigger than us. Laughs, stories, and wisdom was shared.. this was not only good for the culture, it was great for the soul.”
Osaka said there was “no better company to share time with.” Everyone dressed in variations of Black clothing and feasted on small plates at a candle-lit table.
Fans understood their intention and the assignment as they rallied behind her. But others complained that white players were wrongfully excluded.
A white X user ranted, “They don’t want equality, they think they should be treated better because of their skin color, they are RACISTS and obviously as 2 very rich women, no prejudice is happening no matter how much they SCREAM about it!! So F them!!”
Because they are RACISTS. They don’t want equality, they think they should be treated better because of their skin color, they are RACISTS and obviously as 2 very rich women, no prejudice is happening no matter how much they SCREAM about it!! So F them!!
— Fitness 23 Vanessa (@VBogenholm) May 25, 2026
Osaka addressed outrage, never once apologizing for celebrating Black athletes.
She shared, “Growing up, there weren’t a lot of tennis players I could look up to that looked like me. Being a minority in a sport like tennis is very isolating but the positive is that you keep tabs on everyone that … being blunt, is black.”
Adding, “You just feel at peace knowing that there’s another person who has experienced similar things to you and you feel less along… I want to thank them for existing and thank them for inspiring, I am so proud and I appreciate everyone who came to the dinner (also the ones would couldn’t make it as well).”
Osaka’s post concluded with a small sound bite of Issa Rae’s “I’m Rooting for Everybody Black” moment from 2017.
One fan’s reaction to her explanation reads, “It says a lot that she has to write this long epistle to explain why she had a party for people who happen to be human beings.”
(@naomiosaka)
Others wrote, “Dear white people, y’all been doing this forever…what’s the problem?” and “They claim to hate us, but want to sit at our table!”
According to Osaka, “There already exist dinners or events reserved for white people… I’ve always seen them without controversy, and it never bothered me.”
Still she refuses to apologize.
“There are many things in my life I will apologize for, but not for celebrating being black and being proud of who we are. I feel sorry for those who don’t understand that this is not about exclusion, but a way to celebrate how far we’ve come,” she concluded.
Osaka returned to tennis in 2024, 15 months after she and her ex-boyfriend, rapper Cordae, welcomed daughter Shai. The 28-year-old was among the highest-paid women on the court in 2025.
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