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Naomi Osaka rallies for Haiti relief as U.S. vows to help

The tennis star said she would give all her earnings from an upcoming tournament to relief efforts for the hard-hit country.
Image: Tennis - Women's Singles - Round 3
Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts during her third round match against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic.EDGAR SU / Reuters

Tennis star Naomi Osaka led the charge Saturday for relief efforts following Haiti's 7.2-magnitude earthquake that has killed hundreds of people.

Osaka, the No. 2 player in the world, tweeted that she's scheduled to start a tournament next week and she plans to "give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti."

Japan's Osaka, 23, has a bye to the second round of the Western & Southern Open, which starts Monday in Cincinnati.

Pro soccer team Miami FC tweeted Saturday that it, too, was looking for ways to help. "Miami FC is currently working with local agencies to find ways to assist with relief efforts," it said.

U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-New York, urged a rapid federal response for Haiti, which suffered a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000 people in 2010.

"We must quickly support Haiti and it’s people as they recover and heal from the layered tragedies," he tweeted.

U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-New York, agreed, tweeting, "We must be ready to provide support and relief."

USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, said in a statement Saturday night that it was sending an "elite" Disaster Assistance Response Team to Haiti to assess damage, identify the greatest needs, and coordinate humanitarian efforts.

Earlier in the day President Joe Biden said in a statement, "Through USAID, we are supporting efforts to assess the damage and assist efforts to recover those who were injured and those who must now rebuild. The United States remains a close and enduring friend to the people of Haiti, and we will be there in the aftermath of this tragedy."