Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open amid row over press conferences
- World No 2 pulls out of event after being fined by organisers
- Osaka says speaking to press causes her ‘huge anxiety’
Naomi Osaka has announced her withdrawal from Roland Garros one day after she was fined $15,000 by the French Open and warned that she could face expulsion from the tournament following her decision not to speak with the press during the tournament.
Osaka, 23, who won her first match against Patricia Maria Tig and was scheduled to face Ana Bogdan in the second round, had released a statement last Wednesday stating her intention to skip her media obligations during Roland Garros because of the effects of her interactions with the press on her mental health.
In a statement on Monday announcing her withdrawal from the event, Osaka said she was leaving the tournament so that the focus could return to tennis after days of attention and widespread discussion.
“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago,” Osaka wrote on social media. “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. More importantly I would never trivialise mental health or use the term lightly.”
In her original statement, Osaka said she expected to be fined and Gilles Moretton, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) president, said last Thursday that his organisation would penalise Osaka.
However, the organisation offered no official response until the lengthy statement signed by the four grand slam tournaments on Sunday after Osaka’s first-round win. Their heavy handed approach to Osaka has been criticised as a disproportionate response, forcing Osaka to choose between either risking significant punishment or else resuming the press duties that have her anxiety. The attention Osaka has received was only compounded by the announcement of her fine and possible default.
On Thursday evening Osaka’s older sister, Mari, attempted to support her sister by providing further context of her struggles in a post on Reddit. She said Osaka had been hurt by frequent questioning about her ability on clay and that she felt she was being “told that she has a bad record on clay.” After losing in the first round of the WTA tournament in Rome, Mari Osaka said her sister was “not OK mentally.” After some criticism, Mari Osaka deleted her post.
In her withdrawal statement, the four-time grand slam champion said she has suffered from “long bouts of depression” since the 2018 US Open final. Osaka defeated Serena Williams then to win her first grand slam title in a controversial match that similarly led to significant attention and queries from the media.
“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,” Osaka wrote.
Osaka concluded her statement by saying she suffers “huge waves of anxiety” before speaking with the media. “So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self‑care and skip the press conferences. I announced it preemptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that,” she wrote.
Osaka has received support from numerous public figures since her announcement. “Stay strong. I admire your vulnerability,” wrote Coco Gauff in response.
Two hours after Osaka’s announcement, Moretton conducted a press conference in which he read out a statement in French and English, calling Osaka’s withdrawal “unfortunate” and wishing her “the quickest possible recovery.” He left without fielding any questions from the press.
Serena Williams talks media scrutiny amid Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from French Open: ‘It made me stronger’
Williams made her comments hours after Naomi Osaka withdrew from the tournament
After her first-round victory on Monday at the French Open, Serena Williams discussed anxiety when dealing with the media and said that she experienced it often after matches.
Williams made her comments during the post-match news conference hours after four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the tournament amid scrutiny over her decision to boycott talking to the media.
“Many of them I’ve been into where I’ve been — very difficult to walk in those moments,” Williams said. “But you know, it made me stronger.”
Osaka made the announcement to withdraw on Twitter – one day after she was fined $15,000 for skipping her post-match press conference. She explained her decision in a lengthy statement.
Following the announcement, French Open organizers released a statement saying that it’s “unfortunate” that she withdrew from Roland-Garros, but they “wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery.”
“I feel for Naomi,” Williams added. “Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thin. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently.”
Williams continued: “You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to and the best way she thinks she can. That’s the only thing I can say: I think she is doing the best she can.”
Williams, who is eyeing a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title, believes it’s important to reach out for support when you’re in need of help.
“You really have to step forward and make an effort, just as in anything, and say, ‘I need help with A, B, C and D,’ and talk to someone,” Williams said. “I think that’s so important to have a sounding board, whether it’s someone at the WTA, or someone in your life, or maybe it’s someone you talk to on a weekly basis.
“I’ve been in that position too, and I’ve definitely had opportunities to talk to people and just get things off my chest that I can’t necessarily talk about to anyone in my family or anyone I know.”
