Maren Morris Shows Support To Naomi Osaka After Tennis Match Upset

Tennis star Naomi Osaka was brought to tears on Saturday (March 12) while playing in the Indian Wells Tournament outside of Palms Springs, California.

Osaka, 24, lost the match, but on top of that, a heckler's mean-spirited shouts could be heard during the match, adding to the four-time Grand Slam winner's emotional response.

"You suck!" a woman in the stands was heard screaming at Osaka who was losing 3-0 to Veronika Kudermetova. Other fans shouted at the woman and Osaka begged the umpire to let her address the crowd herself through a microphone. "I just want to say something," she said, "I'm not going to curse. It's just weighing on my heart."

The umpire refused, but said they would kick the woman out if she were to have another outburst. Naomi ended up losing 6-0 in the first set and 6-4 in the next.

Afterwards, she got on the microphone and said with a trembling voice, "I just wanted to say, 'Thank you.'"

"I've been heckled before, but heckled here," Naomi continued, "I watched a video of Venus and Serena getting heckled here. If you haven't watch it, you should watch it."

Country star Maren Morris was one of several who showed their support for Naomi online. "You're a legend, Naomi," the "Chasing After You" singer wrote in a tweet on Sunday (March 13).

As for the video Naomi referenced, it was a 2001 controversy in which Serena Williams was booed at the same tournament after winning. Serena was supposed to play her sister Venus Williams, but she pulled out due to an injury. The crowd though it was fake and were relentless in their response.

It was 15 years before Serena played India Wells again. See the video of the incident below.