The prolific tennis player will be taking some time off from the sport.
On Sunday, Naomi Osaka, after her first victory at the French Open, opted to skip a mandatory press conference. As a result of this, the Grand Slam tournament organizers slapped her with a $15,000 fine and threatened to impose sanctions upon her should she continue to miss media obligations. Following this incident, Osaka announced in a public statement that she would be withdrawing from the French Open.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
“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,” Osaka wrote. “I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and message could have been clearer.”
In addition to this, Osaka announced that she would be taking a break from professional tennis, as she has been dealing with severe anxiety and depression since her first US Open victory in 2018, which was one of the reasons she skipped the conference that got her fined.
“I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media,” she said. “I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try and engage and give [the media] the best answers I can.”
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 & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi- we are all pulling for you!
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) May 31, 2021
Costco to Bring Back Free Samples
Elephant Herd Stomps Toward Chinese City
-
Credit: Shutterstock One of the NBA’s biggest names is on the move again, and this time it’s to a...
-
Credit: Shutterstock A splash of international politics unexpectedly bounced onto the basketball court this weekend when a lone voice...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Ole Miss fans may want to bookmark this Sugar Bowl for eternity. In a game that refused...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Phil Mickelson isn’t just swinging golf clubs these days — he’s swinging at political rivals too. The...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Global music sensation Bad Bunny is proving once again that laughter is the best comeback. Hosting Saturday...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Lewis Hamilton’s much-anticipated move to Ferrari was always going to attract headlines, and halfway through his debut...
-
The Vikings’ New Cheerleaders Prove America Still Panics Over Men in Pom-Poms The Minnesota Vikings just added two...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Popping the Question 8 Years Later Cristiano Ronaldo finally did it. After eight years with Georgina Rodríguez,...
-
Credit: Shutterstock Hulkamania Forever: Wrestling Icon Hulk Hogan Dies After Powerful Final Farewell The world is mourning the loss...
-
Credit: Unsplash It’s not every day fans get nervous about their club spending big—but that’s exactly what’s happening on...
-
Credit: Unsplash Trading Talent for Pennies: What Was Miami Thinking? NFL fans were left scratching their heads after the...
-
Credit: Unsplash Forget the rumors—Hulk Hogan is still kicking, but insiders say his body feels more like it’s 140...
