Naomi Osaka Takes Action to Protect Daughter’s Documents Amid LA Fires
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As Naomi Osaka competes at the Australian Open, her concerns back home in Los Angeles are mounting due to the raging fires near her residence. While advancing to the second round after defeating Caroline Garcia at Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena.
Osaka shared during an on-court interview that she had arranged for someone to secure her toddler’s birth certificate from her LA home, amidst fears the fire could reach it.
Osaka, sporting a black LA Dodgers hat and a purple Lakers jersey, expressed her challenges in maintaining focus during the games due to her concerns back home. “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been doing the greatest keeping focus, but obviously I won, so I think it’s an acceptable job,” she remarked.
The tennis star emphasized how her home has become more meaningful since having her daughter, filled with keepsakes and memories that make the situation back in LA even more distressing.
She admitted to feeling in limbo about the situation, unable to assess the damage firsthand. “I’m not there, so I don’t know how bad it is or how bad it’s going to get. But I think the biggest thing that I am grateful for is that everyone in my family is safe…
I don’t feel like it’s safe enough to go back there,” Osaka said, hoping to prolong her stay in Australia as a distraction from the distress.
Osaka’s daughter, Shai, who was born in July 2023, is safe, and the fire has come dangerously close, burning just three blocks from their house. Osaka and rapper Cordae, Shai’s father, recently announced their breakup earlier this January.
As Osaka continues in the tournament, her thoughts remain with her community in Los Angeles, her longtime home. “Sending all my love to LA,” she said. “We hear about fires, but I didn’t know how devastating it could be. I hope everyone’s doing well.”
Osaka, along with other players such as Coco Gauff, have shown their solidarity with Los Angeles by marking an “LA” with a heart in blue ink on the courtside camera lens. As she remains focused on clinching her fifth Grand Slam title, her heart stays with those back home facing the wildfires.