Naomi Osaka Withdrew from the French Open—Let's Talk About It
After announcing she would not participate in press conferences throughout the French Open, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has officially withdrawn from the competition. Her previous announcement regarding press conferences resulted in a $15,000 fine and sparked a debate about journalism and the mental health of professional athletes.
“The truth is that I have struggled with long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” Osaka states on Twitter.
Osaka has been open about her struggles in the past, but decided stepping back from this tournament would be the best for her health and the other participants.
“I think I know the best thing for this tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” she says.
According to Buzzfeed News, media interviews throughout the tournament are contractual obligations to all players and before formally withdrawing from the competition, tournament officials threatened Osaka with being kicked out of the French Open if she continued to avoid press-related events.
While Osaka believes these rules regarding interviews are outdated, she remained professional and cordial throughout the drama, even in the midst of a Grand Slam tennis tournament.
This controversy has gained the attention of not only the tennis community, but fans of all sports who mostly stand in solidarity with the young professional. Her colleague Venus Williams speaks about similar issues she has faced in response to the press throughout her tenure as a professional tennis player and has openly supported Osaka’s decision to step back from the competition.
“For me personally, how I deal with that I know every single person asking me a question can’t play as well as I can, and never will,” Williams states in a press conference. “So, no matter what you say or what you write you’ll never light a candle to me. So that’s how I deal with it.”
Even celebrities, such as Will Smith and Ava Duvernay, are showing their support for Osaka, demonstrating just how important it is to protect the mental health of professional athletes from all sports.
While this issue is far from over, Osaka’s courage to take a stand against the harsh rules of the French Open sends a message to athletes all around the world to prioritize mental health over the standards set by tournaments or competitions.
Osaka’s actions will hopefully be a wake-up call for the world of professional sports to take care of their athletes, and update unnecessary or harmful rules in competition.
We do not own any of the images found in this article.
Featured image found here.