Charge It To The Game: Naomi Osaka Apologizes At The Australia Open + Trey Songz Has A Charge Dismissed

Summary

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The Latest with Loren LoRosa

Episode Title: Charge It To The Game: Naomi Osaka Apologizes At The Australia Open + Trey Songz Has A Charge Dismissed
Release Date: January 25, 2026
Host: Loren LoRosa
Network: The Black Effect & iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

Loren LoRosa delivers a spirited, insider take on two major trending stories in pop culture: the recent legal developments for R&B singer Trey Songz following an altercation in a NYC lounge, and tennis star Naomi Osaka’s much-discussed apology at the Australian Open. The episode blends exclusive reporting, cultural critique, and firsthand reflection on what it means to navigate high visibility and accountability as a Black woman in sports and entertainment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal & Industry Updates

• Loren starts with her signature behind-the-scenes peek at her life and career, sharing excitement over the imminent premiere of "The Breakfast Club" on Netflix (03:11).
  • Quote: “I’m a part of a show that is about to premiere on Netflix. Not only are we going to premiere… but I know we are going to dominate.” (04:23)
• Loren speaks candidly about personal growth, how “on every new level, it requires a new version of yourself,” and the importance of self-reflection and spirituality. (05:55)
  • Quote: "I figured out the roadblock was myself. I was, in my own way, not leaning into the things that are readily available for me..." (06:41)

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Trey Songz – NYC Hookah Lounge Incident

• The Incident:
  • Early December, prior to Christmas, Trey Songz was involved in an alleged altercation at Mirror, a popular NYC hookah lounge. Video footage showed Trey Songz being arrested; in the video, he appeared confused and in disbelief over his arrest. (08:32)
  • Audio Clip: Trey Songz asserting, "I didn’t touch anybody." (09:30)
  • The lounge owner is heard telling police not to arrest Trey. (10:08)
    • Quote: "It's the owner right here... he don't want him arrested." (10:08)
  • Trey Songz was charged with felony criminal mischief, accused of over $1,500 in damages to property (hookahs, DJ equipment, sofas).
• The Legal Outcome:
  • Loren breaks an exclusive update: the Manhattan DA has dismissed the charge. (11:15)
  • Prosecutor cited lack of cooperation from the bar owner and damages being less than initially reported, meaning the charge couldn’t be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. (11:35)
  • Trey’s attorney maintained the singer had been surrounded and targeted leading to security intervention. (12:17)
• Broader Context:
  • Trey Songz is also suing the Kansas City Police (from a prior 2021 incident at a Chiefs game) for damages over wrongful arrest and alleged excessive force. (13:06)
  • The KC Police Department declined comment on pending litigation.

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Naomi Osaka – Australian Open Tension & Apology

• The Match & Incident:
  • Naomi Osaka faced competitor Serana Cirstea in the second round.
  • During play, Osaka was heard hyping herself up by saying "come on!" before serving (16:06).
    • Quote: Osaka, when asked about Cirstea's irritation: "Apparently a lot of. Come on. Said she was angry about, but whatever." (16:06)
  • After Osaka’s win, her opponent accused her of unsportsmanlike conduct for making noise before the serve. Cirstea refused to shake Osaka's hand. (16:50)
• Loren’s Take on Double Standards:
  • Loren draws parallels between Osaka, Taylor Townsend, and Serena Williams—all Black women criticized for competitive displays others are permitted to show. (17:00)
  • Quote: "There's a level of humility… that pisses me off... because the minute we do [show competitiveness], it's a problem." (17:44)
• Osaka’s Apology:
  • In her post-match interview, Osaka apologizes for “disrespectful” court comments, clarifying her intent was not to distract. (20:04)
    • Quote: Naomi Osaka: “I also want to apologize. I think, like, the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. And I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do.” (20:20)
  • Loren expresses disappointment that Osaka felt compelled to apologize, noting the pattern where Black women in sports are pressured to self-correct in claims of aggression or etiquette breaches. (20:50)
    • Quote: "I hated that she apologized. I don't think she should have apologized. There was nothing wrong with her clarifying." (21:00)
• Umpire’s Role & Tennis Culture:
  • Loren points out the umpire sided with Osaka, affirming it was permissible for her to speak between points. (22:40)
  • She highlights the contrast with Cirstea's poor sportsmanship (refusing handshake), and Serena Williams' past fines for similar infractions.
• Microaggressions and Broader Implications:
  • Loren references the Taylor Townsend/Helena Ostapenko US Open encounter to illustrate microaggressions Black women face and the additional burden to be “classy” in response. (25:51)
  • Townsend’s mature handling of the situation is played as a positive example. (27:36)
    • Quote: Taylor Townsend: “I'm really proud of the way that I handle myself. And more than anything, if my son sees that, I know that he'll be proud of me as well, and that's what matters the most.” (28:41)
  • Loren’s summary: It's unfair Black women are held to different standards and often expected to shrink themselves or apologize for ordinary displays of ambition and competitiveness. (28:59)
    • Quote: "You did not have to do that [apologize] at all. You did nothing wrong." (29:12)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Professional Growth:
  • Loren LoRosa: “On every new level, it requires a new version of yourself.” (06:55)
• On Gender & Race in Sports:
  • Loren LoRosa: "When we do it, it's a problem. When they do it, ain't an issue. When they do it, the minute we do it, it's… a problem." (17:52)
• On Accountability & Class:
  • Loren LoRosa: “God always rewards people who treat everybody good, no matter how they treat you, and I admire that. But you did not have to do that [apologize] at all.” (29:12)
• Taylor Townsend on Handling Racism:
  • “But the only thing that I'm worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament… that's what's the most important. She's packed up and she's gone. I'm here, and that's the only thing that matters.” (28:38)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Personal Recap & Breakfast Club Netflix Premiere
  03:11 – 07:45
• Exclusive: Trey Songz Charge Dismissed
  08:32 – 13:35
  • Audio of incident begins: 09:30
  • Charge dismissal insight: 11:35
  • Lawsuit against Kansas City Police recap: 13:06
• Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open Incident
  15:20 – 23:40
  • Osaka-Cirstea match context: 16:06
  • Osaka’s apology: 20:04
  • Umpire clarity: 22:40
• Broader Discussion: Gender, Race, and Sportsmanship
  23:41 – 31:58
  • Taylor Townsend US Open incident: 25:51, Taylor’s statement at 27:36
  • Loren’s cultural critique: 28:59

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Tone and Style

• Loren delivers with a mix of warmth, boldness, and empathy, directly addressing both her audience (“my low riders”) and the cultural climate Black women navigate in pop culture spaces.
• The episode features both exclusive reporting and lived perspective, blending news and analysis with cultural affirmation.

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Summary Takeaways

• Trey Songz: Criminal mischief charge dropped due to insufficient evidence and lack of cooperation from the club owner. Reflects the legal vulnerabilities for celebrities in nightlife settings.
• Naomi Osaka: Osaka’s apology at the Australian Open is dissected as unnecessary, symptomatic of the hyper-scrutiny and double standards Black women athletes endure. Loren and Taylor Townsend’s comments underscore the demand for both excellence and humility from Black women in public arenas.
• Cultural Commentary: Loren calls for greater awareness of implicit biases and advocates for unapologetic excellence among Black women: “You did nothing wrong. And I hope the people surrounding you right now are telling you the same thing.” (29:12)

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For listeners:
Loren LoRosa’s episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of celebrity, justice, and the experience of Black women in sports and pop culture. It blends original reporting with passionate analysis and lived insight—the hallmarks of her style.

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Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is an Iheart podcast. Guaranteed human peace of the planet.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Charlamagne Tha God here. And the end of the year is the time to set the foundation for next year. New ideas, new product drops, new goals. And when I'm building anything meaningful, I need the right tools. That's why I always tell folks, especially black entrepreneurs and small black owned businesses, Shopify is the move. We use it at the Black Effect Podcast network. And I've seen firsthand how it helps creators and business owners grow with confidence. Okay, Shopify is like having a whole team behind you. You, your chief of staff, your personal assistant, your co founder, all in one platform. Wherever your people are, Shopify makes sure your business can meet them where they're at. So if you're ready to take the next step in your life, whether it's merch, products or anything in between, get on shopify.com ben and make it happen. It is time to stop putting off your future and start your new role as your own boss.

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[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes.

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

It'S me again.

[Lauren LaRosa]

We prepped. Prepped.

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

It's the time for empowerment. And I've got a message for you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Guess who. Guess who. Guess who's back.

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

You gotta think about sexual health no matter what, when or with who.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Taylor Townsend]

Yeah.

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

To all you lovers out there, ain't no judgment. This is your cue.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Guess who.

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

Guess who's back. It's time to talk about pre special prophylaxis, a part of HIV prevention.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, so you're prepped?

[Care for the Culture Spokesperson]

I talk to a healthcare provider provider. And visit carefortheculture.com to learn more.

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There's a fire inside you you can't ignore. Stand still.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Not a chance.

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You're a lifelong learner who's come this far.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Now we are here to help you keep going further.

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[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody exclusive.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

You know she don't lie about that, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Lauren came in hot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, y'. All, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, baby. So today, checking in behind the scenes of the grind, y'.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

All back on the grind.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I am all snuggled up right now in this amazing faux fur. Let me make sure I say faux fur. PETA. Okay, Shout out to PETA coat. It comes with, like, a matching head wrap. But I was like, if I wear the head wrap in a podcast, I'm gonna be doing too much. But it is cold here in New York. We are expecting to get a huge snowstorm. I mean, huge. Like, it's supposed to start super we hours of the morning, I believe between 2 and 6am on Sunday. This coming Sunday date is the 25th. So it's supposed to start on the 25th and go over to Monday. Like, it's supposed to snow until Monday, but I think there'll still be some remnants of it on Tuesday as well. So we about to be out of the game for a bit, and we've been, you know, just cold and shivering and. Yes. So, yeah, I got my brown girl grinding merch on brown girlgrinding.com. the merch is back, baby. We are back. I had to get some things together, some organizational things together, but we are back. And I got this jacket on, and I'm feeling warm and just getting ready for the snowstorm. I. You know, the grocery stuff. Just make sure everything in the house is straight. I plan to clean, clean, clean, clean, clean. You know, when you sit in the house, you got the time to do it and working. So that's kind of like behind the scenes of the grind, what I'm working on right now. Breakfast Club is also preparing to premiere on Netflix. Monday, January 26, 2026. Breakfast Club and your girl will be on Netflix. Kind of crazy. Yeah, kind of crazy. I had a little cameo on Netflix in the 50 Cent Diddy documentary. A little cameo. You know what I'm saying? But no, like, it's happening. Listed as official cast. I need to figure out, like, my IMDb and make sure all of that is up to date as well at first. Like, you know, because they've been talking about it so much at work. We've been talking about it so much at work. It's just like, okay, you know, this is a new thing at work that we'll be doing to prepare for and, you know, trying to get things tighter for and all of that. And now it's here. I'm like, yo, it's kind of crazy. Like, I'm a part of a show that is about to premiere on Netflix. Not only are we going to premiere on Netflix, but I know we are going to dominate. I'm excited to see, like, how our numbers come in and how well we do and all the conversation around that, and just, you know, I feel like Breakfast Club has been so monumental in the space that they're in, and they've really changed the game and open the doors for so many of these other hip hop shows and podcasts and, you know, things of that nature. So I'm excited to be a part of the inaugural rollout on Netflix and just. I'm living my answer prayers and my biggest prayer. These last couple days have been about, like, peace and consistency and peace of mind. But today, a little man, a little miniature man by the name of Charlemagne, we were talking about the fact that, like, you know, I've been telling you all here on the podcast, like, I've been stressed out because I just feel like I'm not on my. Like, I. I need to operate at 200, and I feel like I'm not on my 200% A plus game sometimes about some things. And that bothers me. Not because of the outward, you know, whatever. It's whatever people. Even when I'm on my 500% game, it's always something being said. But just internally, I just know the level of achievement I like to operate within. And I couldn't figure out kind of like what the roadblock was within these last 48 hours. I figured out the roadblock was myself. I was, in my own way, not leaning into the things that are readily available for me for various reasons. But, you know, I think one of the biggest things is, you know, feeling like I can do all things. And what I've learned is that I can't. So I have to use what I got to get to where I want to get to. And when what I got is not working, it's time to rearrange and reorder. But I can't rearrange and reorder if I haven't given certain things the. The real run of the mile that it deserves. And on every new level, it requires a new version of yourself. And I think what slipped from you know, my understanding and from my mind. And this is why I told you guys in the last couple episodes, like, I think a part of it, too, is, like, getting back into, like, heavily getting back into, like, just talking to God more. I've been running so fast. I was hearing God, but I wasn't talking back to him, and we weren't in conversation. He was just popping in every now and then to be like, okay, you know, because warning comes before destruction. But on every new level, things change. And I think what I did was, is I started feeling this new level of things, but my mind wasn't operating on that new level of things, and I wasn't looking around me. And not only like, it's not that I'm not grateful for what's happening, but I think you just. I mean, you just can't operate certain ways within certain spaces. And me, not me, not realizing that I was kind of operating, you know, from point A, and I've already arrived at point, like, G. It was kind of like I was going against the grain, you know, putting the pressure on myself and things of that nature. So now, you know, I feel like I'm coming up on the other side of it. And I think it's because I've, like, again, I think me talking to God was the. A big part of it. Accountability is the other. So here we are. So Netflix the Latest with Lauren LaRosa will be on Netflix January 26th. We, of course, will always still be here on the podcast side of things, every weekday with all the things, because that's just how it goes. So let's get on into the latest. So I broke an exclusive today, actually, literally, as I was walking in here for the podcast, early December, right before the Christmas holiday, Trey Songz had got into an alleged altercation at a location like a spot, like a. A hookah lounge here in New York City called Mirror. Mirror is a spot. You know, I feel like it's more late night now. It's open to 4:00am but, you know, it's a spot. The people be there, you know, so he's there. He's with his friends, his homies. They're having a good time, and something goes down. There's a video that surfaced from the night where you see Trey Songz being arrested. And he, in the video is, like, kind of confused. He's asking questions, but he's in handcuffs. You see a guy in the video come out, talk to police. Actually, let's just play some of the clip, right? Let's. So let's. Take a listen to Trey Songz.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

I didn't touch anybody. You have to.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hold on. Listen.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

I understand, miss. Officer, can somebody read him his rights and let him. They just told me I could pay him.

[Capella University Ad Voice]

Any questions?

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

They told me I'm not paid. He just told him he's under arrest. You just told him he's under arrest without reading him his rights?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Now you hear the owner of the restaurant who comes out of the lounge, the hookah lounge mirror, who is basically saying he doesn't want Trey Songz arrested.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

It's the owner right here, Lieutenant Senate. Look, officer, look, you don't want him to rest.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It's the owner. You said the owner wanted me. Don't do that. I need you to come. Hey, bro.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

Tell him I didn't do nothing to nobody. Tell them this is unlawful. I didn't do nothing to nobody. Please don't. They assaulted me. Miss, Miss, this is unlawful. Miss, they assaulted me. The owner, literally. The owner came out, said he don't want him arrested. Why you arrested? No micro charges.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All right.

[Podcast Guest/Co-host]

Bro, can we. Are you mad at me? What did I do?

[TurboTax/Intuit Ad Voice]

Just have a seat.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Watch that. Watch. Following this incident, Trey Songs was arrested. He was charged with one count of felony criminal mischief. And then everything went over to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, right? So a part of the issue here was that they alleged that during whatever alleged physical altercation that went down with Trey Songs and whoever the issue was with inside the mirror, this hookah lounge, right, they alleged that there was like all this damage done to the inside of the place from the furniture and, you know, whatever. They alleged that he had done more than fifteen hundred dollars worth of damage to various restaurant property, including hookahs, DJ equipment, sofas. And this is all that. This was listed on the. On the complaint when he was arrested. Now, Trey Song's attorney at the time, Michael Schuster, said in a statement that Trey was confronted by individuals who instigated a confrontation and attempted to surround him. His security intervened to protect him and contain the situation. His attorney then continued. Public figures are often treated as targets for instigation in pursuit of headlines or financial gain. Public figures are often treated as targets for instigation in pursuit of headlines or financial gain. We are confident that the facts will speak for themselves. So this was a few weeks ago. So today, earlier this morning here in a court in New York, a judge decided to dismiss that criminal mischief charge that came after this alleged hookah incident. So in me breaking this story, the. The source that I spoke to that kind of gave Me some information on the inside. A source very close to the investigation tells me that the reason why this was this charge was dismissed because the appearing prosecutor was who was not. The assigned attorney stated from their prepared notes that the bar owner was not cooperating and that the damages from a multi person altercation were significantly less than initially reported. He acknowledged this is the appearing prosecutor, that the office could not prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed dismissal was warranted. So Trey Song's off on that one. But we talked about this today on the Breakfast Club. In the meantime, he's choosing to, you know, file some lawsuits of his own. He's recently filed a lawsuit against the Kansas City Police Department because back in 2021, he got in this incident at a Kansas City Chiefs game where he was like in a tussle of sorts with people in the stands and security came and tried to like, it's like they tried to break it up, but then they were like a part of the. It was like, oh. So Trey Song says that because they charged him with, you know, various different things, he was charged with trespassing, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, and all of this was ultimately dismissed. So Trey Song says because of these charges, because of the headlines that came after this incident went viral and the reports and the charges, he suffered physical injuries, emotional distress, damage to his personal reputation, financial loss, all as a result of incident. And he also claimed that the Kansas City Police Department used excessive force before wrongfully detaining and arresting him. So he is seeking some damages. There is no number listed for what he wants, but he ain't playing. He's coming back for a vengeance. So we'll see what happens. The Kansas City Police Department provided a statement to some outlets, but they didn't really say much in response to Trey Songs. They said, generally we do not comment on pending litigation to ensure fairness for all sides involved. Anything we have previously said on the subject in the process of your reporting is available for use, but nothing further at this time. So nothing further. Now let's switch gears. So next up in the latest, Naomi Osaka. Now, I've been itching to have this conversation because Naomi Osaka participated in the Australian Open, right? She won in the second round against Serena Seresti. Probably saying the name wrong. My bad girl. So Naomi Osaka is playing in this tennis match, and before she goes up for her serve, she's like hyping herself up. Let's take a listen to Naomi Osaka before she goes up for her serve. So they go through the motions or whatever. Matches over Naomi Osaka, then goes up to shake hands with her opponent, whom she just beat fair and square. And let's take a listen to what happens. Serana C. Is a tough competitor. She came to play tonight. What did it take to get through that one?

[Naomi Osaka]

Apparently a lot of. Come on. Said she was angry about, but whatever. She's a great player. Player. I think this was her last Australian Open, so. Okay, sorry. She was mad about it, but.

[Lauren LaRosa]

She was complaining because between the first and second serve, she could hear you just trying to pump yourself up. Was that the problem?

[Naomi Osaka]

I think so. But, like, she could have asked me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Like, bro, I'm sorry, I don't know what it is, like, and this is a crazy thing. So you guys remember back when, when Taylor Townsend had the issue at the U. S. Open? We covered that here. We covered a lot of the U. S. Open stuff here because I went to the US Open, we did, like, a whole few episodes on it. Make sure you guys go back and take a listen to that, because I actually, I like tennis. I'm not a person that, like, avidly sits and sits and watches it. I did watch Taylor Townsend throughout her time there. I've, like, you know, I went. I enjoyed. We got to see Coco golf. I used to play, like, middle school, elementary school for, like, seven, eight years. And at one point, I don't even know if I really wanted to play tennis, to be honest with you guys. I think it was more like the ambition to be good at something enough where it would, like, change my whole world. Like, I've always been a person that, like, had, like, really big dreams, wanted to, like, be in front of people, be on stages. And tennis to me was, like, a stage because everyone sits and they watch you and, like, whatever, right? So in me being a tennis girly, I be watching a lot of these incidents go down, and I'm like, y' all got the right one. Like, some of this stuff. And, and. And let me just preface this by saying I am at a point in my life where, like, professionally, nothing is going to damage everything I've worked for. Like, nothing, nobody. I'm not going to let anyone trick me out of my spot and ever, not today, not tomorrow, not next month, not last year or the year before. It's not happening. I've worked very hard to get to where I'm at, and I'm literally living my answer prayers. You will not get up under me and snatch that rug. Won't happen, baby. So I'm not in any way saying that. I think that Naomi Osaka or any of the girls who have gotten in these on the court incidents should crash out to the point where they risk things. But I do think that there's a level of humility that we have to show when I say we women in sports, yes, but black women in sports, let's be very specific. There's a level of humility that we have to show that pisses me and I don't even cuss. Pisses me. The pisses me off. It pisses me off so bad because it's like Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend, even Serena Williams, when Serena Williams had the incident where she threw down her racket and she had to pay the seventeen thousand dollar fine. All of these women have worked very, very, very hard to be allowed the space to have a competitive attitude. But the minute we do, it's a problem. When we do ain't an issue. When they do it, the minute we do it, it's such a. It's a problem. And I hate to see like my biggest thing. Like, I hate to see anybody like, belittle themselves or shrink themselves or act like they're just happy to be somewhere because there's not a lot of us in the room. And oh my God, I feel like with all of these tennis incidents with these black girls, it pisses me off. So Naomi Osaka, after this incident, she made these comments, right? She's competitive, she's talking her shit. She made these comments and then in the Post interview, she apologized. Let's take a listen.

[Naomi Osaka]

Well, if I'm being honest, I've never been involved in something like this before. So it's like, I don't know, like, if we're supposed to leave it on the court and be like, hey, how are you doing? I'm a little confused, but like, I get that emotions were very high for her. And I also want to apologize. I think, like, the first couple things that I said on the court was disrespectful. And I don't like disrespecting people. That's not what I do. So, yeah, if. I mean, if she wants to talk about it, then yeah, but like, I, like when I'm pumping myself up in my head, I'm not like, okay, and now I'm gonna destroy, distract the other person. Like, it's purely for me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So now granted, no one made her apologize. Naomi Osaka is a very sweet. I mean, I've never met her, but from what it seems like Naomi Osaka is a very sweet, humble, talented girl who just. She's not. She's just not the. Not trying to be in all the drama. Very in tune with her emotions and her feelings and, you know, all of the things. Some of it, she gets pushed back for it, to be honest. The fact that she's so in tune with her mental and her emotional and her feelings, and she wears it on her sleeve. But I hated that she apologized. I don't think she should have apologized now. I don't think that there was anything wrong with her clarifying. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful because, you know that there are always. I mean, it's a problem. We do it. Ain't no problem. They do it right. So, of course, there are people who, you know, responded to her having a little fun and competitive edge on the court after she rightfully won a match with. She's out of line. She's this, she's that. Because the issue here is that her opponent, Serena, basically feels like Naomi Osaka being able to say, come on, when going up right before her serve is against the rules and tennis because you're supposed to be quiet. And that's why Naomi Osaka said, you know, I didn't do this to. No, there was no malice. I wasn't trying to distract anybody or anything like that. I'm just hyping myself up. Even the umpire, which a lot of times, you know, the umpire was on Naomi Osaka's side, like, no, she can say that she wasn't even up in her serve. So for those of you guys who have not seen this video, here's what the umpire made very clear. Let's take a listen. Come on. Is this okay? So I can talk between points? Between third.

[Taylor Townsend]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Can I go. Come on and talk. Basically, you're not serving yet. And what is happening is. So when you go up for a serve and like, you know, once the match has started, it's, you know, it's quiet. I mean, a lot of times you hear the racket, you might hear the. The. The, you know, those like, noises, but the yelling of the words and all that. Even in the stands, it's quiet. So the issue here was that Serena Saresti is basically alleging that Naomi Osaka violated a rule by saying, come on now. And because of that, she shouldn't have won that match. Wouldn't. But. But her sportsmanship was so shitty, she wouldn't even shake her hand. Serena Williams slammed a racket down right after, you know, feeling the competitiveness and the. The rising of the spirit of the game, you know, within a match that she was playing and had to pay $17,000. This girl won't even shake Naomi Osaka's hand. Arguing back and forth with the ref, walks out scot free. Naomi Osaka, you know, talks a little bit of her ish as she deserved to. She did nothing wrong and still decided to apologize. And me saying that I don't think that she should apologize and how I hate seeing her apologize. It makes me think of that Taylor Townsend situation. And with Taylor Townsend, it was a bit different because I feel like a lot of times in women's, with women in general, with us women, right, we go through these issues where things are very passive. So it's the small innuendos, it's the, you know, not like there are things that will happen to you when you were competing or operating in a space where you were one of few. So in this space, Naomi Osaka is a black woman, woman of color, operating in a space where there's not a lot of her, right? Taylor Towns in the same thing. Serena Williams, the same thing. You know, any other woman listening, whether it's your job, you know, whatever it is that you got going on, right? But when you're a black woman, it shrinks even more. It's even. It's even fewer, even less. Most of the time in a lot of these places with Taylor Townsend, I feel like you couldn't get around what happened to her. When Naomi Osaka, you can debate whether or not you feel like she should have been allowed to say, come on, she shouldn't have. But the umpire, what was said was said. The rule that was stood on, or in the lack thereof, the umpire says she did nothing wrong. That's what happened. So that's what we have to take at face value. But you can still argue it all you want. You can argue whether, you know, Serena Seresti had the right to feel away. You can argue that. But with Taylor Townsend, the incident that happened with her during the US Open this year when she was playing Helena Osimpenko, hopefully I said that, right? Helena Osimpenko, right. And that's when I'm refreshing you guys brain on this story. But that's when they got into it over a netball. So basically she felt like.

[Naomi Osaka]

The ball.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Was hit into the net and Taylor Townsend should have apologized, which is like an unspoken rule. Then she walked up on Taylor Townsend and called her uneducated. And she said she had no class. And it's like, girl, a white woman cannot tell. You can't say that to a Black woman in 2026, like, or 2025. At the time, it's 2026 now, but this happened last year. You cannot, because, and I remember Helena Austin Pinko, she had to like make a statement and say, you know, her comments weren't racist and she's not like all, all of the stuff, all the things. If you guys want to refresh your memory, we did a whole episode on that here with the latest with Lauren, the Rosa, the podcast. But the reason why she had to do that is because it was very blatant. Regardless of what she took back and what she said, those little innuendos, those microaggressions were very blatant in this situation. They're not. So it puts, it puts Naomi Osaka in a position where she kind of doesn't have a leg to stand on. If she says okay, not only is it not okay for me as a woman in sports to just be energized and have this competitive edge and be yelling out, whatever, but let's look at the dynamic here. She can't even bring that up at all. I don't think that she's a person that would just, you know, do that anyway. She seems like she's more of like a peace and love, let's all figure this out. Unity girl over anything. My girl, Taylor Townsend, when things got crazy, she dropped the after the knuck, if you buck on the photo from the match, like, yeah, don't play with me, right? But even with Taylor Townsend, she still went into a post game interview and said she didn't think it was racist, but she understood why we felt like that. Let's take a listen to Taylor Townsend.

[Taylor Townsend]

You know, she told me that I have no education, no class, and to see what happens if we play each other outside of the US And I said, you know, I'm excited, bring it. So I can't speak on how she felt about it. That's something that you're going to have to ask her. I didn't take it in that way. But also, you know, that has been a stigma in our community of, you know, being non educated and all the things when it's the furthest thing from the truth. And the most, the thing that I'm the most proud of is that I let my racket top because ultimately I'm the one here sitting in front of you guys, moving on to the next round, getting the next check, moving on, being able to still be here and speak to you guys. And that's what's the most important. She's packed up and she's gone. I'm here, and that's the only thing that matters. So whether it had racial undertones or not, that's something that she could speak on. But the only thing that I'm worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament. I know that I'm a fantastic tennis player, and I know that I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish, and this is another stepping stone. It's another brick that I'm laying on my foundation or on my road to greatness. And so, ultimately, whatever it is that it is, I don't take any offense to it, but I'm really proud of the way that I handle myself. And more than anything, if my son sees that, I know that he'll be proud of me as well, and that's what matters the most.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I hate that we have to do this. And it's not that we have to, like, we don't. People will be like, well, that was their choice. We don't have to do anything. We don't have to. But y' all understand the boundaries and the audiences that these girls are up against. Y' all get it. And if you don't get it, that's a part of the problem as well. It was very classy of you to apologize. Naomi Osaka, you are a class act. That is why you have been blessed with everything that you have been given. The. You know, God always rewards people who treat everybody good, no matter how they treat you, and I admire that. But you did not have to do that at all. You did nothing wrong. And I hope that in your mind, you are not living with your decision to be energized about a game and a match that you love and that you were winning. That is it. That is all. And I hope the people surrounding you right now are telling you the same thing. Because when you do things in, like, when. When people are reprimanded for things, or even just because she wasn't reprimanded, right, like, the umpire was on Naomi Osaka's side. But when you're thinking about the world and how they perceive things and, you know, it just being an issue with women in sports and being aggressive in sports and that. That is a real conversation. She's hiding behind the. I don't want to be that person. No, girl. And I hate to see that. I. I hate to see that for us, I do. So everybody around you gonna say it, because I. You know, for me, when I saw that, I was like, apologize, girl. For what? You ain't did nothing wrong. She should be apologizing okay, Serena should be apologizing because regardless if she didn't like the fact that you got your, you know, you come on now, off or not, your few words and your remarks after that, off or not, regardless if she didn't like if the umpire agree with her or not, her attitude was disgusting and should have been. And if the shoe had been on the other foot, if Naomi Osaka had did the same thing that Serena Cersty did and did not shake this girl's hand after, if Naomi Osaka had lost, if she did not shake her opponent's hand, if she had argued back with the umpire, do you understand? Serena Williams had to pay $17,000 for throwing a racket. There are literally mosh mashup videos of John McEnroy and Andre Agassi in all of their anger and aggression that they show in the court. And granted, you know, they get fine, they pay their money, but it's just a different conversation around it. And y' all tell me why y' all think that is. This has been another episode of the latest with Lauren the Rosa. I'm your host, Lauren the Rosa. I tell you guys every single episode because I mean it. You guys could be anywhere with anybody talking about all of the things, but y' all choose to be right here with me every episode. My low riders. I appreciate you guys and I'll catch you in my next one.

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[Lauren LaRosa]

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