Update 05/31/2021 3:12pm:
Previously, Naomi Osaka revealed that she would not be speaking to the press during her stint at the French Open, citing the protection of her mental health as a reason. Since then, Osaka won her first match but was hit with a $15,000 for not speaking to the press like she said. Along with that, she was warned by the French Open that she could be suspended from the tournament. Now, Osaka has reportedly withdrawn herself.
Osaka took to Twitter to explain why she stepped away, saying “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 I announced it preemptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that. I wrote privately to the tournament apologizing and saying that I would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament as the Slams are intense.”
She continued saying “I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans. Anyways hope you are all doing well and staying safe, love you guys I'll see you when I see you." Take a look above.
Original 05/31/2021 10:51am:
Naomi Osaka has been quite the force in tennis and also has been vocal in pushing for the protection of athletes’ mental health. Days prior, Osaka announced she would not be speaking to the press during the 2021 French Open. Osaka said, “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athlete’s mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one." The player spoke on previous instances that led her to make her choice, saying, “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."
As a result, Osaka was hit with a fine of $15,000 from the French Open, which issued a statement on the matter. The organization said, “We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences.”
They also addressed a possible suspension, saying, “As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament...and the trigger of a major offense investigation that could lead to more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions.” Stay tuned for more updates.
source: CBS
