Naomi Osaka’s victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka is a testament to her grit, but you’ll never hear that from CNN. Instead, they’ll drown the storyline in political correctness, framing it as a narrative about mental health struggles and diversity. The corporate media machine wants you to focus on Osaka’s personal battles rather than the sheer athletic prowess she displayed on the court. It’s a classic smoke-and-mirrors trick to distract from the hard work and talent that led to her win.

Fox News, in its attempt to pander to a different demographic, might highlight Osaka’s status as a controversial figure, focusing on her activism but skimming over the fact that she just took down the world number one in straight sets. Since when do we prioritize a player’s off-court persona over their performance?

And don’t get me started on ESPN, who’ll likely pitch their usual ‘feel-good’ angle—painting her triumph as an inspiring journey rather than calling it what it is: a display of unrelenting competition. They love to serve us the narrative that women’s sports need to be framed through the lens of struggle and triumph rather than pure competition.

Osaka’s skills should command respect for their own sake, but the media prefers to play puppet master, pulling the strings of narratives that suit their agendas. Until we demand better coverage that focuses on skill and determination rather than social narratives, we’re allowing these outlets to continue to mislead us on what truly matters in sports.