Australian Open Champion Naomi Osaka paid her respects to Martin Luther King Jr on Instagram

Naomi Osaka paid tribute to one of the greatest rights activists ever, Martin Luther King Jr, via Instagram.

The Japanese grew up in the US after her Haitian father decided to develop her Tennis skills in the country.

King Jr fought for civil rights in America during the 1950s and 1960s before being assassinated in 1968.

The American is also known for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from 1963 and believed in a non-violent movement and civil disobedience too.

Osaka posted a picture on her Instagram stories which featured the activist and his family.

Although King Jr’s birthday was on 15 January, Martin Luther King Jr Day is an American Federal Holiday and is celebrated on the third Monday of the month.

This year’s holiday fell on 20 January, and Osaka shared a picture of the legendary activist.

Osaka is in the mood for another title

The Japanese star isn’t known for her remarks off the court and she lets her play do all the talking.

The defending champion made light work of Marie Bouzkova in the first round. Osaka won 6-2, 6-4 and next faces Saisai Zheng in the second round.

Osaka did have a response to one Twitter user who wasn’t happy with the Japanese star. The champion questioned why people act in such a negative manner on social media but that shouldn’t faze her with the task at hand.

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The 22-year-old is one of the favourites for the title this year, and it will be interesting to see how she goes about the challenge.

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