Tennis Players Battle For Victory While Their LA Homes Face Flames
Several top tennis players at the Australian Open expressed concern for Los Angeles as devastating wildfires threatened their homes and communities during first-round matches in Melbourne. Naomi Osaka, who advanced to the second round after defeating Caroline Garcia 6-3 3-6 6-3, revealed the fires were just three blocks from her residence. The four-time Grand Slam champion shared that she had arranged for someone to retrieve her daughter's birth certificate due to the uncertainty of the situation. "I was watching the fire map and the fire is three blocks from my house," Osaka said, expressing her sympathy for LA residents and acknowledging her newfound understanding of fire devastation. Multiple players joined in showing support for their home city. Third-seeded Coco Gauff, who defeated 2020 champion Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-3, wrote "stay strong LA, thank you firefighters" on the camera lens after […]