Naomi Osaka Withdraws From French Open, Citing Mental Health Struggles

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka said Monday that shes withdrawing from the French Open , days after announcing she would boycott the press at the tournament to protect her mental health.

In a statement posted to her Instagram, the 23-year-old Japanese pro tennis player said dropping out from the high-profile event was the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being.

I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer, Osaka wrote. More importantly I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, went on to reveal that shes suffered from long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018 and has had a really hard time coping with that.

Anyone that knows me knows Im introverted, and anyone that has seen me at tournaments will notice that Im often wearing headphones as that helps my social anxiety, Osaka wrote.

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, she added.

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NaomiOsaka (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021

On Sunday, the heads of the four Grand Slam tournaments the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open announced in a joint statement that Osaka would be fined $15,000 for choosing not to honor her contractual media obligations.

In their statement, the officials said they have significant resources dedicated to player wellbeing but needed players to engage with them on these issues.

A core element of the Grand Slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media, whatever the result of their match, a responsibility which players take for the benefit of the sport, the fans and for themselves, according to the statement.

The officials warned that Osaka could face suspension from future tournaments for violating the code of conduct if she continues to refuse to speak with the media.

In her Instagram post Sunday, Osaka said she had privately apologized to French Open officials when she made her initial announcement about not speaking to the press. She said she told them she would be more than happy to speak with reporters after the tournament ended.

Im 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, Osaka wrote.

Osaka isnt the only tennis player who has skipped media appearances. In 2016, Venus Williams paid a $5,000 penalty to avoid discussing her early exit from the Australian Open. In 2010, she and her tennis star sister, Serena, were fined $4,000 each for failing to speak to reporters after a doubles match at Wimbledon.

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Other players, including Andre Agassi, Mats Wilander, Goran Ivanisevic, Victoria Azarenka and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, have also paid to skip press events.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline . You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line . Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.

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