Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open
Revealing bouts of depression, 23-year-old takes issue with post-match press conferences
《Jun 1, 2021 NIIKEI Asia》
PARIS (Reuters) -- Japan's Naomi Osaka stunned the tennis world on Monday by withdrawing from the French Open after deciding to boycott post-match media duties, explaining she had been suffering from depression for almost three years.
Osaka said in the build-up to the tournament that she would not attend the obligatory press conferences for players after matches, saying the questioning by journalists impacts her mental well-being.
The four-time Grand Slam champion made good on her threat on Sunday when, after winning her first round match, she did not hold a press conference.
She was fined $15,000 by the Roland Garros referee, and Grand Slam organisers later issued a strongly worded statement warning of possible expulsion from the French Open and future majors if she failed to change her stance.
On Monday, the world No. 2 decided to take matters into her own hands to end the stand-off.
"This isn't a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago," the 23-year-old Osaka said on Twitter.
"I think now the best thing for the 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.
"I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer."
Osaka, one of the biggest names in women's sport, went on to say she had suffered from depression since 2018.
"The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that," she said.
"Anyone that knows me knows 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."
The French Tennis Federation (FFT), organisers of the tournament, called her withdrawal "unfortunate."
Reading from a prepared statement at a news conference, FFT president Gilles Moretton said: "We are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka... we wish her the best and quickest possible recovery, and we look forward to having Naomi at our tournament next year. He added that the major tennis bodies were committed to athletes' well-being and improving their tournament experience, including their interaction with the media.
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said mental health was one of the highest priorities of the organisation. "We remain here to support and assist Naomi in any way possible and we hope to see her back on the court soon," it said in a statement.
After beating Serena Williams to claim her first major at the 2018 U.S. Open, Osaka was booed by the crowd during the presentation ceremony as her victory was overshadowed by the American's outburst following a row with the umpire.
Osaka said that since then, she has struggled with being in the spotlight. On Monday, Osaka said she suffers "huge waves of anxiety" before speaking to the world's media.
Williams offered support to Osaka.
"The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug," the 39-year-old American said after her first-round win. "Because I know what it's like. I've been in those positions."
American Sofia Kenin, who won the Australian Open and finished runner-up at Roland Garros last year, said dealing with the media demands of elite tennis was "definitely not easy" but it is what players "signed up for."
"There's expectations from the outside, sponsors and everyone. You just have to somehow manage it. You have to have a good team around you who support you," the American said.
Osaka, who according to sports business website Sportico earned $55.2 million over the past 12 months, added that she would take some time away from tennis and hoped later to meet the sport's organisers to improve the system.
"I wrote privately to the tournament apologising and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the slams are intense," Osaka said.
"I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right, I really want to work with the tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans."
Naomi Osaka shows what a real champion is made of
The Japan Times/ Editorials/ Jun 5, 2021
Naomi Osaka is a remarkable tennis player. She is ranked No. 2 in the world, with seven tournament victories and four Grand Slam titles, having twice won the U.S. Open (in 2018 and 2020) and the Australian Open (2019 and 2021).
In 19 career Grand Slams, she has won the tournament or lost by the fourth round: In other words, she is 12-0 — undefeated — in quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, the matches that count most and, consequently, have the most pressure.
More remarkable still, she has done all that at the age of 23. When most people her age are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, she is already the world’s highest paid female athlete, earning what is estimated to be in excess of $55 million a year.
It is the intersection of those two facts — her age and her earnings — that has fanned much of the controversy surrounding her decision to forgo news conferences during the French Open and then, after she stood by the pledge and was fined $15,000, to withdraw from the tournament. A committed social activist, Osaka has, perhaps inadvertently, launched a long overdue public conversation about mental health. For that, she should be applauded, not attacked.
Despite her extraordinary record of success, the French Open has been an insurmountable challenge for Osaka. In four tournaments held on the Roland Garros clay courts, the farthest she has gone is the third round. Those struggles, along with her long-time difficulty with public speaking, prompted her to announce via social media prior to the tournament that she would not appear at obligatory news conferences after a match.
The imposition of a fine when she kept her word after a first-round win prompted her to pull out of the tournament, citing her mental well-being and a desire not to distract from the tennis being played.
Osaka has been criticized for biting the hand that feeds her. She earns millions for being a public figure but she was unwilling to live up to her obligations to the sport and the public that make the paycheck possible. News conferences are supposed to provide color and context for fans and viewers. They also provide photo ops for sponsors as competitors speak against a backdrop of corporate logos and props.
Eliminate the news conference and a valuable public relations and branding opportunity is lost. That threatens the sport’s bottom line. Tournament organizers around the world have already noted a diminution of media interest in their events.
News conferences can be grinding and sometimes dehumanizing events. The performance on the court that they are supposed to explore is an excuse to manufacture drama. While the media subjects both men and women athletes to this process, content analyses reveal that female athletes are asked much more personal, tangential and often demeaning questions.
The French Open’s insistence on Osaka’s attendance at the post-match news conference — a position it took after consulting with organizers of other Grand Slam events — seemed to denigrate or dismiss her mental health concerns. Osaka is an introvert with high expectations of herself and who battles anxiety and depression. Success and those earnings have not eliminated her unease; in some cases they have amplified it.
Yet, athletes have been expected to “suck it up” or tune out the distraction. That is, after all, the sign of a superior performer: a single-minded focus and a determination to succeed against all odds. That attitude has built winners, but it has also left many athletes burned out, and, in some cases, threatened their mental and physical health and their lives.
Osaka is also a campaigner for social justice. At last year’s U.S. Open, every day she wore a mask bearing the name of a different Black man or woman who had been killed. Last summer, she got a tournament she was playing in to delay competition for one day after another Black man was shot by police. She wanted to force a focus on issues of race and equality. It is not clear if she sought this time to focus attention on mental health issues, but she has done just that.
The day after her withdrawal, the French Tennis Federation, along with the organizers of the other Grand Slam tournaments issued another statement, one with a different tone. In it, the officials offered Osaka “our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court. She is an exceptional athlete and we look forward to her return as soon as she deems appropriate.”
The Women’s Tennis Association, which has had a Mental Health and Wellness team for more than two decades, released its own statement explaining that mental health was one of its highest priorities.
Other sports organizations and federations should make it a priority as well. Mental health must not be a taboo subject for world-class athletes or ordinary citizens. Surveys show that more than half the Japanese public is worried and anxious as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We must address these fears, and Osaka’s courage and forthright acknowledgement of her own problems can help set an example.
Such outspokenness can be controversial. Calls for racial justice by Osaka and other athletes have generated anger and pushback among American conservatives, who tell them to stick to their sports. Such behavior is not typical of Japanese celebrities either, who are preferred — or encouraged — to stay away from tough topics.
We welcome Naomi Osaka’s words and deeds and wish her all the best in her struggle to stay fit and healthy and at the top of her game. And we look forward to seeing her lifting more trophies — when she feels ready to compete again.
The Japan Times Editorial Board
Naomi Osaka shows what a real champion is made of
Naomi Osaka is a remarkable tennis player. She is ranked No. 2 in the world, with seven tournament victories and four Grand Slam titles, having twice won the U.S. Open (in 2018 and 2020) and the Australian Open (2019 and 2021).
In 19 career Grand Slams, she has won the tournament or lost by the fourth round: In other words, she is 12-0 — undefeated — in quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, the matches that count most and, consequently, have the most pressure.
More remarkable still, she has done all that at the age of 23. When most people her age are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, she is already the world’s highest paid female athlete, earning what is estimated to be in excess of $55 million a year.
It is the intersection of those two facts — her age and her earnings — that has fanned much of the controversy surrounding her decision to forgo news conferences during the French Open and then, after she stood by the pledge and was fined $15,000, to withdraw from the tournament. A committed social activist, Osaka has, perhaps inadvertently, launched a long overdue public conversation about mental health. For that, she should be applauded, not attacked.
Despite her extraordinary record of success, the French Open has been an insurmountable challenge for Osaka. In four tournaments held on the Roland Garros clay courts, the farthest she has gone is the third round. Those struggles, along with her long-time difficulty with public speaking, prompted her to announce via social media prior to the tournament that she would not appear at obligatory news conferences after a match.
The imposition of a fine when she kept her word after a first-round win prompted her to pull out of the tournament, citing her mental well-being and a desire not to distract from the tennis being played.
Osaka has been criticized for biting the hand that feeds her. She earns millions for being a public figure but she was unwilling to live up to her obligations to the sport and the public that make the paycheck possible. News conferences are supposed to provide color and context for fans and viewers. They also provide photo ops for sponsors as competitors speak against a backdrop of corporate logos and props.
Eliminate the news conference and a valuable public relations and branding opportunity is lost. That threatens the sport’s bottom line. Tournament organizers around the world/ have already noted a diminution of media interest in their events.
News conferences can be grinding and sometimes dehumanizing events. The performance on the court/ that they are supposed to explore/ is an excuse to manufacture drama. While the media subjects both men and women athletes to this process, content analyses reveal that female athletes are asked much more personal, tangential and often demeaning questions.
The French Open’s insistence on Osaka’s attendance at the post-match news conference /— a position it took after consulting with organizers of other Grand Slam events —/ seemed to denigrate or dismiss her mental health concerns. Osaka is an introvert with high expectations of herself and who battles anxiety and depression. Success and those earnings/ have not eliminated her unease; /in some cases they have amplified it.
Yet, athletes have been expected to “suck it up” or tune out the distraction. That is/, after all,/ the sign of a superior performer: a single-minded focus and a determination to succeed against all odds. That attitude has built winners, but it has also left many athletes burned out, and, in some cases, threatened their mental and physical health and their lives.
Osaka is also a campaigner for social justice. At last year’s U.S. Open, /every day she wore a mask bearing the name of a different Black man or woman who had been killed.
Last summer, she got a tournament she was playing in to delay competition for one day after another Black man was shot by police.
She wanted to force a focus on issues of race and equality. I
t is not clear if she sought this time to focus attention on mental health issues, but she has done just that.
The day after her withdrawal, /the French Tennis Federation, along with the organizers of the other Grand Slam tournaments issued another statement, one with a different tone.
In it, the officials offered Osaka “our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court. She is an exceptional athlete and we look forward to her return as soon as she deems appropriate.”
The Women’s Tennis Association, which has had a Mental Health and Wellness team for more than two decades, released its own statement explaining/ that mental health was one of its highest priorities.
Other sports organizations and federations should make it a priority as well.
Mental health must not be a taboo subject for world-class athletes or ordinary citizens.
Surveys show that more than half the Japanese public is worried and anxious as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We must address these fears, and Osaka’s courage and forthright acknowledgement of her own problems can help set an example.
Such outspokenness can be controversial.
Calls for racial justice by Osaka and other athletes have generated anger and pushback among American conservatives, who tell them to stick to their sports.
Such behavior is not typical of Japanese celebrities either, who are preferred — or encouraged — to stay away from tough topics.
We welcome Naomi Osaka’s words and deeds and wish her all the best in her struggle to stay fit and healthy and at the top of her game.
And we look forward to seeing her lifting more trophies — when she feels ready to compete again.
The Japan Times Editorial Board
Grand Slam leaders pledge to address Naomi Asaka's concerns(June 2, 2021 / Japan Today)
The leaders of the four Grand Slam tournaments reacted Tuesday to tennis star Naomi Osaka's stunning withdrawal from the French Open by promising to address players' concerns about mental health.
The pledge came in a statement signed by the same four tennis administrators who threatened the possibility of disqualification or suspension for Osaka on Sunday if she continued to skip news conferences.
The four-time major champion and No. 2-ranked player was fined $15,000 when she didn't speak to reporters after her first-round victory at Roland Garros on Sunday. The next day, Osaka pulled out of the tournament entirely, saying she experiences “huge waves of anxiety” before meeting with the media and revealing she has “suffered long bouts of depression.”
Osaka, a 23-year-old who was born in Japan and moved with her family to the U.S. at age 3, said she would “take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”
Tennis players are required to attend news conferences if requested to do so; Grand Slam rules allow for fines up to $20,000 if they don't show up.
“On behalf of the Grand Slams, we wish to offer Naomi Osaka our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court. She is an exceptional athlete and we look forward to her return as soon as she deems appropriate,” Tuesday's statement from those in charge of the French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open said. “Mental health is a very challenging issue, which deserves our utmost attention. It is both complex and personal, as what affects one individual does not necessarily affect another. We commend Naomi for sharing in her own words the pressures and anxieties she is feeling and we empathize with the unique pressures tennis players may face.”
French tennis federation President Gilles Moretton, All England Club Chairman Ian Hewitt, U.S. Tennis Association President Mike McNulty and Tennis Australia President Jayne Hrdlicka pledged to work with players, the tours and media “to improve the player experience at our tournaments" while making sure the athletes all are on a “fair playing field, regardless of ranking or status.”
In a separate statement issued Tuesday to the AP via email, International Tennis Federation official Heather Bowler said the sport will “review what needs to evolve” after Osaka “shone a light on mental health issues.”
"It’s in all our interests to ensure that we continue to provide a respectful and qualitative environment that enables all stakeholders to do their job to their best ability, without impacting their health, and for the good of the sport,” Bowler wrote.
Various tennis players, including sisters Serena and Venus Williams, offered support for Osaka.
Venus Williams, a 40-year-old who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and another 14 in doubles with her younger sibling, said at a news conference after her first-round loss Tuesday at Roland Garros that she finds it “definitely not easy to do press, I think, for any person.”
Asked how she handled that over her professional career, Williams responded: “For me, personally, how I deal with it was that I know every single person asking me a question can’t play as well as I can and never will, 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. But each person deals with it differently.”
Others praised Osaka for being forthcoming about her personal story in her statement Monday on social media.
“It’s hard. Nobody really knows what anyone is going through, no matter how much they choose to show on the outside. I had no idea about her. But I respect her openness,” 20-year-old American pro Ann Li said after her victory. “Our generation is becoming more open and open, which can be a good thing and also a bad thing sometimes. I hope she’s doing OK.”
Gael Monfils, a 34-year-old from France who also won Tuesday, offered a sentiment surely shared by many around tennis, from tournament and tour officials to athletes to the sport's fans.
“We need Naomi. We need her definitely to be 100%,” Monfils said. “We need her back on the court, back (at) the press conference — and back happy.”
