Top ranked tennis player Naomi Osaka has found herself at the centre of a brewing debate after announcing her decision to boycott press conferences during the ongoing French Open. The intention here, Osaka had explained, was to safeguard her mental health.
But even as countless individuals across the globe weighed in on her decision, the world number two was fined $15,000 on Sunday for skipping the press conference following her win in the first round. The tournament organisers also said that the Japanese tennis star could be subjected to additional sanctions if she continues to "ignore her media obligations".
Soon after this, Osaka withdrew from the competition altogether. In a statement that was shared on Twitter, she revealed that she had battled depression for nearly three years and faced social anxiety while fielding questions from the press. Osaka added that while the tennis press had always been kind to her, she was "not a natural public speaker" and would get "huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world's media".
"The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I'm often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety," she wrote.
Following the revelations, there has been a huge wave of support for Osaka. Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams have spoken out publicly in her support
"I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental and emotional aspect gets short shrift," tweeted Martina, who added that Naomi's decision was not just about press conferences.
Serena Williams, who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, said that she felt for Osaka and wanted to hug her. "I have been where I have been very difficult to walk in (to press conferences) in those moments. But, you know, it made me stronger," she added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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