“‘For the most part, I think I’m fine.’ ”
That’s popular tennis star Naomi Osaka, capping a thoughtful 18-minute press conference at Roland Garros on Friday, the site of her abrupt retirement a year earlier when she put her mental health ahead of the world’s expectations.
The tournament, part of the Grand Slam of professional tennis, begins on Sunday.
In last year’s French, the Japanese professional who grew up in the US. stated that he would avoid speaking to the press, earning a fine of $15,000. He then withdrew before the second round, emphasizing that he is “okay not to feel good”. and it’s even more important to admit it.
Osaka also sat out Wimbledon, taking another break from the highest levels of elite tennis after an early exit at the 2021 US Open. But Osaka, who owns four Grand Slam titles, returned to the big stage in January. at the Australian Open. She there she lost in the third round to Amanda Anisimova, a 20-year-old American. who happens to be Osaka’s first opponent in Paris.
Osaka’s ranking has dropped to 38th, mainly due to a lack of action. Still she is the highest paid female athlete in the world, according to a list published by Forbes, dated January. She raked in $57.3 million in prize money and endorsements over the past year.
“I’m not going to lie. When I first came here, I was very worried,” she told reporters in Paris on Friday. but I was worried that there would be people I offended in some way, and I would just get upset at them.”
She said the atmosphere generally feels supportive.
“I think everyone has been really positive, for the most part. I’m really not so sure. She was also very worried about this press conference, because she knew she would get a lot of questions about this,” she added.
Osaka also admitted that she felt different talking to the media now and that she felt “more fun” and more relaxed than last year.
“I feel like what has changed, me trying to figure out the crowd,” he said. “I feel like I’m a comedian and I’m trying to figure out what’s okay and what’s not.”
Of course, the pressure is never really off. In March, Osaka was taken to tears after being interrupted in Indian Wells.
Ahead of the 2021 French Open, Osaka said media appearances can raise doubts that hurt her game and harm her overall health. Osaka has shared on Instagram who has suffered from long bouts of depression since winning the US Open in 2018. He also explained that he has social anxiety and often wears headphones during tournaments.
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In addition to last year’s French fine, the four Grand Slam tournaments also threatened Osaka with possible additional punishments, including disqualification or suspension. But it also received waves of support after the French Open decision, as well as some criticism from sports analysts who emphasized that media duties are part of the responsibility to spectators and sponsors.
In particular, his actions have helped make mental health care more common among athletes. and society in general.
Simone Biles, perhaps the world’s greatest gymnast, withdrew from various events at the Tokyo Olympics in July. He would repeatedly become disoriented during complex flips and flips that he could normally perform with no problem.
“Physical health,” he wrote on Instagram at the time, “is mental health.”
The buzz about the pressure on young and very young athletes is not likely to go away anytime soon. Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz remains a key figure in tennis. In fact, much of the sport has labeled him as a future champion. For now, he’s looking to build on recent success for a first-round appearance in Paris.
Associated Press contributed.
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