Story at a glance:
- Naomi Osaka is not speaking to the press at this year’s French Open.
- Osaka said in a statement that she is concerned about her mental health.
- She did not compete in the French Open last year because of a sore hamstring.
On social media, tennis star Naomi Osaka posted a lengthy explanation for why she will not be speaking to the media during this year’s French Open.
One of the reasons for her silence is maintaining her mental health and optimism, citing that the media tends to “bring doubt into our minds,” USA Today Sports reported.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021
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“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me,” Osaka tweeted.
Osaka compared the role of the media asking questions to “kicking a person while they’re down.”
According to CBS News, her decision to not be part of any press conference is “nothing personal to the tournament,” and she has an overall great relationship with the media.
The decision to opt out of press conferences is a potentially costly one, as star athletes from other leagues have an obligation to hold a conference after they play.
Financial issues aside, the four-time champion and reigning U.S. Open and Australian Open champion is prepared to take on last year’s French Open champion Iga Swiatek of Poland starting May 30 after sitting out the competition in 2020 due to an injury.
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