On Tuesday, Naomi Osaka received support from her country Japan, her sponsors, and leading sporting figures after the world number two withdrew from the French Open in a row about media duties, a Reuters report stated today including responses from top players highlighting their support for the young Tennis star.
Japanese sponsor Nissin Foods wished Osaka a quick recovery while the world's biggest athletic shoemaker, Nike, lauded her courage in sharing her mental health experience.
"It's incredibly brave that Naomi Osaka has revealed her truth about her struggle with depression," Billie Jean King, former ace tennis player wrote on social media adding, "Right now, the important thing is that we give her the space and time she needs. We wish her well."
"You shouldn't ever have to make a decision like this -- but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be don't protect their own. Major respect," wrote NBA All Star Steph Curry on Twitter.
Here's what really happened nearly a week ago.
May 26
Japanese star Tennis player Naomi Osaka, gearing up to take on the courts at The 2021 French Open in Paris shared on her microblogging account a retweet from her sponsor Yonex.
"Every morning is a chance to get a little better."
This is no ordinary day. Today will be my greatest day. Until, perhaps tomorrow.
May 27
A confident 23-year-old who has seen success, sportsmanship, and its insecurities while being young, felt unbound and liberated enough to share with the world her decision to put her well-being—not before her game—but before the media games that happen during a world event perhaps as big as the French Open.
As she wrote, "I have often felt that people (maybe press) have no regard for athletes' mental health... 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" she probably felt she was being 'listened to'. However, things rolled rather fast with members of the press who took offense in her plea started to judge and share their remarks and hatred soon after.
Colin Dunlap, a journalist from Pittsburg wrote, "If as a professional athlete you don't want asked questions after you lose, don't expect to be asked questions after you win."
Marcos Villegas, a broadcaster said, "Naw. Doing press is part of your job. It comes with the territory. Accept it."
While many like celebrity host Ellen DeGeneres, writer Roxane Gay supported her decision to stand up against the age-old practice of over-weighing 'press conferences', largely media bosses weren't elated.
May 30
Naomi Osaka, currently No. 2, played against Patricia Maria Tig during the first round on day 1 of the French Open and won the game. According to ABC News, "The four-time Grand Slam winner did not do a pregame session with the media nor a post-game conference. Osaka did, however, give a courtside interview where she said, 'I'm really glad that I won. It's a beautiful court. I've only played two matches here, one before the roof and one now, so hopefully I'll keep it going'."
Soon after, the organizers of the Tennis championship fined Naomi $15,000 for missing mandatory press interviews and a "lack of engagement" according to the news website.
If enough hadn't already been said and done, a battled and bruised Naomi yet again took to her Twitter to share her sentiments through a Tweet that was later deleted and captioned, "They understood the assignment" with pictures of Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff speaking to the media.
May 31
The Japanese Tennis player announced her withdrawal from the championship citing her mental health, a major motive behind her actions. She said, she didn't want to be a "distraction" anymore and "wanted everyone to start focusing on the tennis going on in Paris". Her apology cum press note was rather vulnerable and anxious as she exposed personal sentiments of hers openly on a very public platform.
Sportswriter confesses 'We are not the good guys'
Post her withdrawal from the French Open, and the considerable support showed by her fans, followers, and netizens, the world has opened up to healthy debates and paved the way for table-talks such as 'press conferences and their purpose' on a serious level.
On May 31, Sportswriter for The Guardian Jonathan Liew took to his column in the British news daily headlined "We are not the good guys". In his article, he highlighted the real problems behind the press conferences.
Pointing out at press conferences as "a weird idea... that essentially fails at its central function", he wrote for The Guardian, "The great conceit of the press conference is that it is basically a direct line from the athlete to the public at large, that we humble scribes are but the people's faithful eyes and ears in the land of the gods. In case you hadn't noticed, this hasn't really been true for a while. Athletes now have their own direct line to the public, and spoiler: it's not us."
Demystifying the media game of press conferences further, he added, "And so the modern press conference is no longer a meaningful exchange but really a lowest common denominator transaction: a cynical and often predatory game in which the object is to mine as much content from the subject as possible. Gossip: good. Anger: good. Feuds: good. Tears: good. Personal tragedy: good."
He ended the piece with, "We are no longer the power. And one of the world's best athletes would literally rather quit a grand slam tournament than have to talk to the press. Rather than scrutinising what that says about her, it might be worth asking what that says about us."
French Open chief, sad and sorry
Meanwhile, the controversy at the beginning of the much-awaited Tennis championship and walk-out of one of the most promising Tennis stars has left the fans of the games with bad taste giving rise to the hashtag movement #istandwithnaomiosaka.
And not just them, the authorities are "sad" too. On Tuesday, AFP reported a statement by French Open Chief Gilles Moretton that he "was sorry and sad" that Naomi Osaka had decided to withdraw from Roland Garros. "The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland Garros is unfortunate," AFP quoted French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton, adding, "We look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year."
