Written by Rhea Alison, Sports Reporter, covering international sports since 2020

At the 2026 French Open in Paris, Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend attracted attention beyond their performances on court by hosting a dinner for black tennis players before the tournament began. The gathering brought together several current and former players to celebrate shared experiences in a sport where black athletes have historically been underrepresented. While the event sparked discussion online, both players stressed that the dinner was about community, friendship, and support within the tennis world.

Osaka and Townsend Address Online Reaction

Osaka and Townsend have both enjoyed positive results at Roland Garros, but their pre-tournament dinner became a talking point across social media. Townsend acknowledged that the event generated debate after photos were posted online.

"It caused a bit of a stir, which I thought was pretty funny because for so long we have been the ones that [are] the minority in a sport where we kind of stick out," Townsend said.

"And now coming together all of a sudden seems like a problem."

Although many responses were supportive, some critics questioned the purpose of the gathering. Responding to the criticism, Townsend referenced a lyric from rapper Finesse2tymes.

"He said, 'It's cool when they do it; it's a problem when I do it.'"

Townsend also included a quote from Tupac Shakur in her social media post celebrating the evening.

"Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice; I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots."

Her post praised Osaka for helping organise what she described as a meaningful event.

"This was not only good for the culture, it was great for the soul #firstofmany."

Notable Figures Joined the Gathering

The dinner featured a number of well-known names from tennis, including defending French Open champion Coco Gauff, veteran French star Gael Monfils, doubles specialist Asia Muhammad, and former player turned commentator Chris Eubanks.

Osaka explained that growing up as a minority in tennis often felt isolating, making relationships with other black players especially meaningful.

"Growing up, there weren't a lot of tennis players I could look up to that looked like me," Osaka said.

"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. There's a fellowship, a camaraderie."

The four-time Grand Slam champion later described the dinner as a family-like gathering.

"I felt like everyone in that room was a part of my family."

Connection to Tennis History

The event also highlighted the contributions of pioneering black athletes who helped open doors in professional tennis. Earlier in the tournament, Coco Gauff and Taylor Townsend played on Court Philippe-Chatrier before a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Althea Gibson's historic 1956 French Open triumph.

Gibson became the first black player to win a Grand Slam title and remains a major figure in tennis history.

"Taylor and I playing on Philippe-Chatrier is a direct product of Althea Gibson," Gauff told spectators.

"It just shows the importance of breaking barriers in all aspects of the world, but especially in sport. I'm very grateful for people like her, and Serena and Venus (Williams), Zina Garrison, for paving the way for us."

An Old Tradition Returns

Former USTA president Katrina Adams welcomed the gathering, saying similar events were common during previous generations of players.

"In our era in the 80s and 90s, we hosted 'Soul Food' Sunday on the middle Sunday of Wimbledon, when there was no play."

"All the black players got together, cooked, ate and enjoyed each other."

Adams said the tradition continued through multiple generations of players and was pleased to see it reappear at one of tennis's biggest tournaments.

Meanwhile, Osaka has advanced to the fourth round of the French Open for the first time in her career, while Townsend and doubles partner Kateřina Siniaková have progressed to the quarterfinals. Their success on court has matched the positive message they hoped to send off it.