22-year-old Naomi Osaka bore a new name for a black person exposed to police violence on her black mouth guard for every match she played in the US Open.
There were a total of seven African Americans' names on the masks.
Osaka was asked afterwards what her purpose was and asked a counter-question.
- What was the message you received?
Osaka asked according to Reuters and continued:
- The point is to get people to start talking, explained the Japanese, who has lived in the USA since early childhood.
Her mother is from Japan and her father is from Haiti.
- Everything I do outside the track affects me in the same way on the track, said Osaka who aimed to wear as many people's names on the masks as possible and get the greatest possible attention.
Before tonight's match, it said "Tamir Rice" on the mask.
He was twelve years old and was holding a toy gun when he was shot dead by police in Cleveland in 2014.
Would like to meet the families
Osaka has received feedback from the families of the victims on his masks and would like to meet them in person and have a conversation.
- I learn through experience.
For me, it is important to share people's experiences and share their stories, Osaka said.
Osaka is hailed by pioneer Billie Jean King, 76, (the US Open area of New York is called the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center).
"It is more than 50 years ago that athletes like Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, Tommie Smith and the Original 9 in women's tennis stood up and used the sport, their voices and acted to change humanity," King said.
Naomi Osaka won at the largest arena Arthur Ashe Stadium, with room for 23771 spectators, in tonight's final against Victoria Azarenka.
Ashe became the first black player to win the US Open - 1968 as an amateur.
Ashe won three Grand Slam.
He died 49 years old of AIDS in 1993 after receiving a blood transfusion in connection with a heart operation.