Naomi Osaka has finally withdrawn from the French Open after hitting a brick wall with the organizers of the event. She disclosed her decision on social media just like she did the former stating that she wanted the focus to return to the games after the widespread attention it elicited.
Naomi had earlier announced plans to not speak with Press at the events on mental health issues grounds, her well meaning intentions fell on deaf ears and was twisted to mean several things including wanting to steal the spotlight or a display of the arrival syndrome. Read her statement below:
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 trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.”
“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,”
“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 I announced it preemptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that,” she wrote.
Naomi Osaka
The organizers had disclosed that Naomi would have to either meet with the Press or face stiff sanctions, as her not speaking to the press would afford her unfair advantage.
In the wake of her withdrawal, many have criticized the French Tennis Federation. Previous posts from Naomi’s sister Mari after the WTA games revealed that those conferences may have had an adverse effect on the celeberated tennis player.
Many public figures have celebrated her on social media, sharing support and well wishes including Tennis players. Serena Williams also shared she felt Naomi’s pain.
In an uncanny twist of events, the French Open boss, Giles Moretton conducted a press conference wishing Osaka a glib “quickest possible recovery” and refused to field questions from the press. The exact same scenario, the Tennis star was penalized and had to withdraw away from the tournament for.
