Is Naomi Osaka right in her Media boycott?

[OMB]

Lots of divided opinions from the players, administrators and fans on whether Osaka is right to maintain media silence?

On one hand, player well being is of paramount importance (especially young players) and on the other hand the media is what brings much needed publicity to the game.
This is becoming a crisis in the ongoing French open and might spark some changes to the way post game ceremonies are conducted.

Osaka meanwhile has taken a firm stand. Right or wrong - what is your take?

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Naomi Osaka announced she was withdrawing from the French Open on Monday after she was threatened with disqualification for boycotting media duties, while on court, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek all reached the second round.

Japanese star Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said before the tournament that she would not attend press conferences to protect her mental health, saying the traditional post-match inquests are like "kicking people when they're down".

She refused to speak to the media after her first-round victory on Sunday.

The organisers of the four major tournaments -- the Australian, French and US Opens as well as Wimbledon -- responded by fining the world number two $15,000 and threatening her with further sanctions, including defaulting her from Roland Garros.

But the 23-year-old said she has suffered from depression since winning her first Slam in the infamous US Open final three years ago against Serena Williams, and pulled out of the event.

"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," Osaka wrote in a statement on Twitter.

"The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that."

Osaka is one of tennis' biggest stars and the world's highest-earning female athlete.

 

[Last Monetarist]

It's a contractual obligation that every player has to fulfil. Citing mental health as an excuse to not face the media also opens up a can of worms for the future.

There's no problem with her taking a break or withdrawing from the tournament due to this reason though, her prerogative. However, the tournament organizers shouldn't be bending the rules just because Osaka is one of the top players in the world.

 

[MenInG]

Just two days after Naomi Osaka's highly-publicised withdrawal from the French Open, Rory McIlroy pulls out of his pro-am and press conference ahead of The Memorial, citing "personal reasons"

 

[KingKhanWC]

While there are genuine & serious cases, we know live in snowflake society, every tom & harry claims they have some sort of mental health issues. Most of the time, they are just weak people who feel sad or cant cope with basic hardships of life.

Is she isnt well, she souldnt be playing tennis.

 

[guna]

If Players do not want to talk to press after their match is over, then they should take pay cut.

Tennis like all sports is commercialized and talking to press creates the hype for the fans to go to the stadium and spend money on tickets and food. Anyone who does not want to fulfill all their responsibilities must also get their pay docked.

 

[finalfantasy7]

why do people forget, that so many young celebs, sports stars suffer from mental health is mainly down to the media - pathetic lies, hate, rubbish which comes out- just to hurt the individual.

proves why so many people suffer in silence because of fear of being called an arrogant narcissistic spoiled brat

 

[DeadlyVenom]

why do people forget, that so many young celebs, sports stars suffer from mental health is mainly down to the media - pathetic lies, hate, rubbish which comes out- just to hurt the individual.

proves why so many people suffer in silence because of fear of being called an arrogant narcissistic spoiled brat

Hypothetical scenario - but if a player says they want to play behind closed doors because playing infront of fans affects their health. Would the authorities be obliged to support them?

While mental health is a serious issue we cant bend rules and regulations for every persons individual needs.

 

[OMB]

Lewis Hamilton backs Naomi Osaka and explains why young sportspeople need more support


"As athletes, we are pushing ourselves to the limit, we are on the edge, and we're only human beings," says F1's seven-time champion as he gives his support to Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open, believing athletes need more support

Lewis Hamilton has given his backing to the "incredibly brave" Naomi Osaka and taken aim at French Open organisers for fining her, as F1's world champion said young sportspeople needed more support dealing with the media.

Ahead of the French Open, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka said she would not speak to the press during the event to protect her mental health. She was fined $15,000 by organisers after not appearing in the press conference following her first-round win at Roland Garros last Sunday.

The 23-year-old subsequently withdrew from the tournament, explaining her reasons and revealing she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018.

Mental health is not a joke, this is real and serious. This takes a lot of courage to do. Let's all make sure Naomi knows she's not alone. Today is a good day to check and ask your friends and loved ones how they are doing and let them know they are not alone.
— Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton tweeted his support for the Japanese player earlier this week and, appearing in Thursday's F1 press conference ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan GP, spoke powerfully about Osaka and his own experience of being a young sportsperson.

"She is an incredible athlete and human being, and her activism has been just so impactful," said the 36-year-old Mercedes driver.

"At such a young age there is so much weight on her shoulders, it's inevitable. The fact is when you are young you are thrown into the limelight and spotlight, it weighs heavily on you. The thing is most of us are not prepared.

"I think she is incredibly brave and I applaud her for her bravery because I think it's now asking those in power, putting them in question, and making them have to think about they react because I think the way they reacted was not good with the fine.

"Someone talking about their personal mental health, and then being fined for it, definitely wasn't cool. They could have definitely handled it better I'm sure and hope they take a deep dive into it and find a better way to navigate in future.

"As athletes, we are pushing ourselves to the limit, we are on the edge, and we're only human beings."

French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton said Osaka's withdrawal was "unfortunate" on Monday.

He added: "We are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery and we look forward to having her at our tournament next year.

"The grand slams, WTA, ATP and ITF, we remain very committed to all athletes' well-being and to continually improving all aspects of their experience, including with the media, like we have always tried to do."

Hamilton calls for more support for young athletes
Hamilton has experienced ups and downs with the media during his 14 years in F1 and said: "I have learnt the hard way and made many a mistake, and still do today.

"It can be daunting still standing behind a camera, it's not the easiest, particularly if you're an introvert and do struggle to be under those sorts of pressures.

"Some people are less comfortable with it than others. I've learnt over my time here and I'm trying to continue to learn how I engage but when I was young I was thrown into the pit and wasn't given any guidance or support. What I do know is that when youngsters are coming in they are facing the same thing I did and I don't necessarily know if that's the best for them.

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes will bounce back in Azerbaijan after their disappointing showing last time out in Monaco
"We need to be supporting more. It shouldn't be a case where you are pressured. There are scenarios where, for example with Naomi's scenario, she didn't feel comfortable for her own personal health not to do something and the backlash is ridiculous.

"People not taking into account that she's a human being and she's saying that 'I'm not well enough to do this right now', that really needs to be looked into and how people react to that."

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12323908/lewis-hamilton-backs-naomi-osaka-and-explains-why-young-sportspeople-need-more-support

Speaking to Sky Sports, Hamilton said: "I think in general people overlook mental health.

"We live in an industry where people don't necessarily take into account there is a human being behind the mic and that human being, whilst everyone has a job, that human being has feelings too and when they cry out for help we should not be penalising them for those sorts of things."

 

[MenInG]

Wimbledon is looking at ways to improve its media operations, according to its chief executive Sally Bolton.

Last month, world number two Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open after saying she would not do news conferences at Roland Garros to protect her mental health.

Osaka is due to play at Wimbledon, which starts on 28 June.

"We have started a consultation," Bolton told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

"Of course, that consultation needs to include not just the players, but the media and all of those engaged in that space.

"We are always striving to do things better."

Bolton also confirmed that the tournament had been in contact with Osaka's team after the 23-year-old's withdrawal from the second Grand Slam event of the year.

"We have spoken to her team in the last few weeks," she said. "So yes, we're certainly remaining engaged with Naomi's team, as we are with all players."

Andy Murray and Venus Williams given Wimbledon wildcards
On Wednesday, tournament director Jamie Baker said he had told Osaka's entourage that the phone lines were always open to discuss any issues that might arise.

"It's absolutely clear that we're here, we're completely open for any discussions when they want to have that," he said.

"Hopefully it goes without saying that we want the best players competing here no matter what."

Both Wimbledon singles finals will be played in front of capacity crowds - the first UK outdoor sporting events to do so since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

With the event part of a government trial for the suspension of masks and social distancing, face coverings will not have to be worn when spectators are in their seats.

However, they will have to be worn by fans moving around the grounds, and organisers "expect there still to be a form of social distancing" around the grounds and in queues.

Initially, there will be 50% capacity allowed in the grounds. That will then rise throughout the tournament before the two finals, which take place on the 15,000-capacity Centre Court on 10 and 11 July.

"We're very confident that we'll be able to deliver a very safe environment in which to increase our spectator base," added Bolton.

"It's also important for us actually to be part of helping to understand how we can get our sector back to full fans, and we're delighted to be part of that programme.

"It's fantastic that we're in a situation where not only can we welcome the world's best players back to our grass courts, but we can also welcome a good number of fans into our stadia to create that really special shared experience of the championships."

 

[MenInG]

Japan's Naomi Osaka will not play at Wimbledon this year but is planning to return in time for the Tokyo Olympics.

The four-time Grand Slam champion will spend time with friends and family having also withdrawn from the French Open in May.

At the time, Osaka, 23, said she would be taking a break from tennis after experiencing depression and anxiety.

The world number two says she is "excited to play in front of her home fans" in Tokyo.

Osaka was fined $15,000 (£10,570) for not taking part in a news conference following her first round match at Roland Garros.

Grand Slam organisers said she could face expulsion from the tournament should she refuse to take part in media duties.

But the player withdrew from the tournament the following day, saying she needed to "protect her mental health".

"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," she added at the time.

Wimbledon's chief executive Sally Bolton had earlier revealed the All England Club (AELTC) had been in contact with Osaka's team and was actively looking at ways to improve its media operations.

"We have started a consultation," she told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

"Of course, that consultation needs to include not just the players, but the media and all of those engaged in that space."

Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker said on Wednesday that he had told Osaka's entourage that the phone lines were always open to discuss any issues that might arise.

 

[Giannis]

Yes, absolutely. Too many boomers whining about a young tennis star prioritizing her mental health. Plus I'm not a fan of France and could care less if the French open loses money.

 

[MenInG]

The Japanese withdrew from May's French Open after avoiding news conferences to protect her mental health.

"In any other line of work, you would be forgiven for taking a personal day here and there, so long as it's not habitual," she wrote in Time magazine.

"Athletes are humans."

She continued: "You wouldn't have to divulge your most personal symptoms to your employer; there would likely be HR measures protecting at least some level of privacy.

"Perhaps we should give athletes the right to take a mental break from media scrutiny on a rare occasion without being subject to strict sanctions."

When Osaka did not fulfil her media commitments at Roland Garros, organisers fined her.

Grand Slam organisers said she could face expulsion from the tournament should she refuse to take part in media duties.

The four-time Grand Slam champion then withdrew the following day, revealing she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first major at the 2018 US Open.

"I felt under a great amount of pressure to disclose my symptoms - frankly because the press and the tournament did not believe me," she said.

"I do not wish that on anyone and hope that we can enact measures to protect athletes, especially the fragile ones. I also do not want to have to engage in a scrutiny of my personal medical history ever again. So I ask the press for some level of privacy and empathy next time we meet."

The four Grand Slams later said they wanted to "create meaningful improvements" in supporting players and that they empathised with the pressures players may face.

Osaka has not competed since the French Open but is due to play at her home Olympics in Tokyo later this month.

 

[OMB]

Tokyo Olympics: How quiet rebel Naomi Osaka is changing Japan

Naomi Osaka tells a story.

It is from Florida, where the world's best young tennis players congregate and compete.

Osaka, aged about 10, was getting ready for a match at the prestigious Orange Bowl tournament.

Preparing within earshot of her Japanese opponent, Osaka overheard her conversation.

"She was talking with another Japanese girl," Osaka told the Wall Street Journal.

"And they didn't know that I was listening or that I spoke Japanese.

"Her friend asked her who she was playing, so she said 'Osaka'. And her friend says, 'Oh, that black girl. Is she supposed to be Japanese?' And then the girl that I was playing was like, 'I don't think so.'"

Everyone knows now. Osaka, the US-raised daughter of a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, is the face of Tokyo 2020.

At every bus stop in Tokyo, the 23-year-old stares down from an advert, greeting passengers local and international. She is decked out in a neon pink jacket over black activewear.

The slogan is written half in English, half in Japanese. It is the word 'new', followed by a symbol that can be translated either as 'world' or 'generation'.

It works. Because Osaka, who renounced her US citizenship in 2019 in favour of her Japanese heritage, is bringing more than titles back to her homeland. She's bringing change.

You don't have to go back to Osaka's childhood to find doubts over how she fits into Japanese society.

"To be honest, we feel a bit of distance from her because she is so physically different," said Nao Hibino, currently Japan's number three, as Osaka was moving into the top echelons of women's tennis in 2018.

"She grew up in a different place and doesn't speak as much Japanese.

"It's not like Kei (Nishikori), who is a pure Japanese player."

She is not the first mixed-race or 'hafu' sportsperson to pose such questions.

Sanchio Kinugasa
Baseball star Sachio Kinugasa was the son of an African-American GI and a Japanese woman, but his background and its significance was rarely discussed in the Japanese media
Sachio Kinugasa and Hideki Irabu were baseball stars.

Neither they nor the Japanese public were interested in talking about their American fathers, soldiers occupying the country after the Second World War, or the discrimination they faced.

Osaka is different.

"Some older people have set ideas about how a Japanese female athlete should speak and behave in public," explains Hiroaki Wada, a reporter for the Mainichi newspaper in Japan.

"Naomi doesn't fit in that traditional mould. She made those issues very visible through her words and actions in Japan.

"Race and identity got discussed more in the media and online because of her, including her political statements. She is a thought and reaction-provoking figure."

Osaka entered the players' bubble at last year's US Open with a plan. She packed seven different face masks. One for each round of the tournament. Each with the name of a black American who died because of alleged police or racist violence.

She used every one, displaying the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Trayvon Martin to a global audience on her way to the title.

It a subject that Japan, one of the least ethnically diverse nations on earth, still struggles with.

Osaka was publicly thanked by some of the families of the victims she featured on her masks at last year's US Open. "I feel like what I'm doing is nothing," said Osaka. "It's a speck of what I could be doing."
Japan's public broadcaster NHK apologised last year after an animated film explaining protests for racial justice caricatured black people and excluded some of the key reasons for the movement.

In 2019, Japanese instant noodle company Nissin made, and then pulled, an advert with a white-skinned manga illustration of Osaka.

It runs a generation deeper as well. Osaka's mother and father migrated to the United States, when she was three, cut off by her disapproving maternal grandparents.

"I think what has happened is the past year or so has been a learning process for the Japanese," says Robert Whiting, author of Tokyo Junkie, a book that details his nearly 60 years living in the city.

"There has been discussion on television variety shows, explaining why Naomi felt that way and has spoken as she has.

"In Japan, the tradition is to avoid conflict and argument. It's not like in America where you have that public to-and-fro.

"Generally the more famous you are the more tight-lipped you are. You don't want any controversy, you don't want it to reflect on your team-mates, your organisation or sponsors.

"Individualism is a very valued thing in the West, not in Japan. Here, harmony is the most important thing."

If last year was about where Osaka was from, this year has been about where she's at.

In May, after initially saying she would not talk to the media during the French Open, she pulled out of that tournament and then Wimbledon, citing her poor mental health and long bouts of depression over the previous three years. The Tokyo Olympics are due to mark her return to the court after two months.

She is the most high-profile, but far from only, Japanese personality to raise the issue of mental health in the public eye.

International footballer Kumi Yokoyama, 27, revealed last month that they were transgender and intended to transition fully to a man once they had retired from the sport. They explained how playing in the United States and Germany had made them aware of ignorance and prejudice in Japan.

In 2020, Hana Kimura, a professional wrestler, took her own life after appearing in Terrace House - a popular reality show.

In the general Japanese population, the number of people reporting mental health problems has doubled from 1999 to 2014.

"Traditionally in our nation, looking back as a kid, 40 years ago, it was shameful if you or a relation had a mental health problem," said Wada.

"In general the perception of weakness, probably more so among athletes, has kept people from talking.

"But things are changing. People are becoming more open to admitting people have mental health problems and they are something we have to deal with."

And Whiting has no doubt where that change is coming from.

"I think Naomi Osaka and other mixed-race Japanese are still outsiders to a degree," he says.

"But this generation of Japanese is much more sophisticated than previous generations, they are much more global in their outlook with the internet and countless TV channels.

"There is a broader understanding that wasn't there when I arrived in the 1960s or in the '80s and '90s. The world is a much smaller place now and Japan has benefitted from that."

New world. New generation. However you translate it, Osaka is a big part of it.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57841166

 

[MenInG]

Naomi Osaka says she felt "ungrateful" at points during the last year for being unable to appreciate her success.

The world number two was speaking after beating American teenager Coco Gauff at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday.

She also discussed her reasons for withdrawing from the French Open in May, having said on the eve of that tournament that speaking to the media was damaging her mental health.

"I wonder what affected me... made me not want to do media?" she said.

"I'm wondering if I was scared because sometimes I would see headlines of players losing and then the headline the next day would be like 'a collapse' or 'they're not that great anymore'."

She added: "The choice to go out there and play, to go see fans, the people that are coming out and watching you play, that itself is an accomplishment and I'm not sure when along the way I started desensitising that.

"It started not being an accomplishment for me so I felt like I was very ungrateful on that fact."

The 23-year-old Japanese also pulled out of Wimbledon to take a break from tennis, having experienced anxiety and depression.

She returned to play at her home Olympics in Tokyo, where she lit the flame at the opening ceremony before going on to lose in the third round.

Cincinnati is her first tournament since Tokyo and on Monday she became tearful at one point during her first news conference since the controversy over refusing to speak to media at Roland Garros.

On Wednesday she came from a set and a break down to beat 17-year-old Gauff 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the second round.

Osaka thinks the Covid-19 pandemic might also have been a factor in her mental health issues and says recent world events have given her a fresh perspective.

"I think definitely this whole Covid thing was really stressful with the bubbles and not seeing people and not having the interactions," said Osaka, who next faces Swiss Jill Teichmann for a spot in the quarter-finals

"But seeing the state of the world, how everything is in Haiti [her father's homeland, which has been hit by an earthquake and tropical storm in recent days] and Afghanistan right now is definitely really crazy, and for me to just be hitting a tennis ball in the United States right now and have people come and watch me play is... I would want to be myself in this situation rather than anyone else in the world."

BBC

 

[Last Monetarist]

It's hard not to feel a bit distressed for Naomi Osaka, she should definitely take a break from the game for a while. Do something akin to Ashleigh Barty playing for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL for a season.

 

[OMB]

Naomi Osaka plans to take indefinite break from tennis after shock US Open exit

Leylah Fernandez made it a night to remember after she dumps out defending champion Naomi Osaka; in her press-conference, Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, said: "I honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match"

Naomi Osaka's US Open defence ended in tears as she suffered a stunning defeat to Leylah Fernandez, before announcing she plans to take an indefinite break from the sport.

The defending champion served for the match in the second set, but she capitulated and allowed the 18-year-old to storm to an impressive 5-7 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 on a stunned Arthur Ashe Stadium.

It was a surprise ending to her first Grand Slam back after withdrawing from the French Open and Wimbledon due to mental health issues.

The 23-year-old's future in the game must now be in doubt after she said she will not play again for a "while".

Holding back tears in her post-match press conference, she said: "This is very hard to articulate. Basically I feel like I'm kind of at this point where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don't know when I'm going to play my next tennis match. Sorry.

"I think I'm going to take a break from playing for a while.

"How do I go around saying this? I feel like for me recently when I win, I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal. I didn't really want to cry."

Asked what caused the defeat, she added: "I don't think it was her serve because I've been able to return pretty well against people that served better. I don't think it's the occasion because I've been in this situation before.

"I guess we're all dealing with some stuff, but I know that I'm dealing with some stuff."

It was the biggest win of Fernandez, the world No 73's career, and one that sets up a fourth-round meeting with 2016 champion Angelique Kerber.

The 18-year-old Canadian said during her on-court interview: "I guess I wanted to stay on court a little bit longer and I wanted to put a show on for everyone here. An hour was just not enough for me on court.

"From the beginning right before the match, I knew I was able to win.

"I wasn't focusing on Naomi, I was only focusing on myself and what I needed to do."

 

[Itachi]

"How do I go around saying this? I feel like for me recently when I win, I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal. I didn't really want to cry."

Seems like burnt out from too much expectations from herself and others. She is exhausted because she doesn't enjoy the game anymore rather, every match was adding up pressure only to pile up more and more. I wonder what will be her parents reaction on this?

Did they have high expectations?

 

[Firebat]

Naomi Osaka confirms withdrawal from Indian Wells

Naomi Osaka, who said at the US Open that she planned to take a break from tennis, has officially pulled out of next month's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

The four-time Grand Slam champion fell in the third round of the year's final major and afterwards told reporters she needed the break to concentrate on her mental health.

Osaka has struggled on court since she withdrew from the French Open in May amid a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her.

The 23-year-old Japanese player won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in 2018.

"We look forward to seeing you in 2022, Naomi," the tournament said on Twitter.

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/ne...i-osaka-confirms-withdrawal-from-indian-wells

 

[MenInG]

Naomi Osaka has dropped out of the women's top 10 for the first time since winning the 2018 US Open title.

The Japanese player, who is now 12th, withdrew from this year's French Open and missed Wimbledon to focus on her mental health.

Osaka, 23, also took a break from tennis in September after her defence of the US Open title was ended by Leylah Fernandez in the third round.

Great Britain's Emma Raducanu, who beat Fernandez in the final, is ranked 22nd.

Raducanu, 18, is set to play in her first event since winning the US Open at the Indian Wells tournament, having been given a wildcard into the main draw.

Indian Wells starts on Monday and runs until 17 October.

On Monday it was announced Raducanu has also entered next month's Upper Austria Ladies Linz tournament.

Former world number one Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, recently said she will return to tennis soon after getting the "itch" to play again.

 

[transparent opacity]

Naomi Osaka: Former world number one wins on return after four-month break

Japan's Naomi Osaka made a winning comeback after four months out with victory in the first round of the Melbourne Summer Set event.

The reigning Australian Open champion, 24, took an indefinite break from tennis after a third round defeat at September's US Open.

She was far from her best on her return but still did enough to beat France's Alize Cornet 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Osaka had 57 unforced errors, including eight double faults.

But she said afterwards that she was approaching 2022 with a new attitude to her game.

"I only really have one major goal this year - I want to feel like every time I step on the court I'm having fun," she said.

"I can walk off the court knowing that even if I lost, I tried as hard as I could.

"I'm the type of person that cared a little bit too much about the results and the ranking and stuff like that. And I just need to find a way to enjoy the game again because that's the reason why I was playing in the first place."

At last year's French Open, the four-time Grand Slam winner said she would not do news conferences to protect her mental health.

She went on to pull out of the event and missed Wimbledon to take a break from tennis, having experienced anxiety and depression.

Osaka returned to play at her home Olympics in Tokyo, where she lit the flame at the opening ceremony before going on to lose in the third round and she then saw her US Open title defence ended by eventual finalist Leylah Fernandez in the third round before stepping away from the sport again.

However, she admits that her time away has helped her gain a different perspective and she has also vowed not to cry in news conferences again after she broke down in tears in Cincinnati in August.

"What probably got me ready again was talking to people," she added. "During the off-season I just hung out with my friends and talked to my family a lot. I felt like that was a way of decompressing the pressure I had on myself.

"Then I just slowly started to regain the feeling of love that I had towards the game. It's not like it ever completely went away, but I felt like it got overshadowed by a lot of emotions that I was feeling just by constantly playing year after year.

"It was just like an extreme build-up, and you just happened to see it all release last year. I don't really feel the same way. But I'm going into this year a bit more optimistic."

Osaka won the opening set against Cornet and broke early in the second before the French world number 61 fought back to win four straight games and the set.

The former world number one claimed the first three games of the final set before serving out the win from 0-30 down and set up a meeting with Belgium's Maryna Zanevska.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/59865322

 

[Firebat]

Australian Open: Naomi Osaka proud despite Amanda Anisimova defeat

Naomi Osaka says she feels "proud" of her approach and performance as she put the defeat which ended her Australian Open title defence into perspective.

The 24-year-old Japanese player held two match points before losing 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-5) to Amanda Anisimova.

Osaka, who was seeded 13th, twice took long breaks from the tour last season to protect her mental health.

"I fought for every point. I can't be sad about that. You know, I'm not God. I can't win every match," she said.

"So I just have to take that into account and know that it would be nice to win the tournament.

"But that's really special, you know, and I can't think of myself to try to win the Grand Slam at the start of the year every time."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/60085418

 

[Itachi]

She should play for her enjoyment rather than challenging others. Her words kind of pointing towards she heading in the same direction and awaiting the same outcome.

She has competitive nature but doesn't have the mental strength to survive through out. So should opt for non competitive matches which she could enjoy without worrying.

 

[MenInG]

Former world number one Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by a heckler during her 6-0 6-4 defeat by Veronika Kudermetova at Indian Wells.

The four-time Grand Slam winner was taunted in the first set by someone in the crowd yelling "Naomi, you suck".

Osaka was playing her third event since taking a break in September.

Speaking on court after the match, an emotional Osaka said it reminded her of Venus and Serena Williams being heckled at the same tournament in 2001.

While holding back tears, Japan's Osaka said: "I've been heckled before and it didn't really bother me.

"But being heckled here. I've watched video of Venus and Serena get heckled here and if you've never watched it, you should watch it. And I don't know why, but it went into my head and got replayed a lot."

The Williams sisters boycotted Indian Wells for 14 years over the events of 2001.

Venus had pulled out of a semi-final match against her sister with a knee injury, and when she and her father Richard took their seats to watch Serena in the final against Kim Clijsters the next day the crowd jeered. Serena was also subjected to boos throughout the match.

Serena went on to win the title and embraced Venus and her father courtside, with Richard later saying he was the target of racial abuse.

In an interview in 2021, Serena said she was still traumatised by the incident two decades later.

Osaka makes early exit
Osaka's second-round exit at Indian Wells is the earliest she has been knocked out of a tournament since returning from an indefinite break that began last year after her US Open title defence ended in the third round.

That break was her second of the year, after she withdrew from the French Open amid controversy over her wish not to speak to the media after matches, and revealed she has struggled with her mental health since first becoming a Grand Slam champion in 2018.

The 24-year-old also missed Wimbledon before returning to the sport later in the summer at the Tokyo Olympics, where she lit the flame at the opening ceremony.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/60726023

 

[Technics 1210]

If a heckler can reduce Osaka to tears then time to move on and change your career Osaka. Your media boycott stunt was laughable.

 

[MenInG]

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Italian Open in Rome to rest an Achilles injury ahead of the French Open, the WTA said on Monday.

The four-time Grand Slam champion suffered the injury in her opening match in Madrid earlier this month, before struggling in a second-round loss to Sara Sorribes Tormo.

"Unfortunately I'm going to have to withdraw from Rome as the injury which I picked up last week in Madrid hasn't healed yet," the Japanese star said in a statement.

"It's an Achilles injury so I need to be careful, especially in advance of Roland Garros."

The former world number one has never reached the final of a clay-court tournament, but will be hoping to put that record straight at the French Open which starts on May 22.

Osaka, currently ranked 38th, has shown signs of a return to form this year.

The 24-year-old reached the Miami Open final, where she lost to world number one Iga Swiatek, in April.

She has been replaced in the Rome draw by Spain's Nuria Parrizas Dias.

AFP

 

[MenInG]

Japan's Naomi Osaka says her return to the French Open has been "positive for the most part" after initially worrying what the reaction would be to her pulling out of last year's event.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, 24, withdrew 12 months ago and said she had been suffering from depression.

The former world number one took a break from tennis at the end of last year to protect her mental health.

"I'm not gonna lie. When I first came here I was very worried," she said.

In the days leading up to last year's French Open, Osaka announced she would not be taking part in the news conferences.

After her opening match she was fined $15,000 (£10,570) for not facing the media, with Grand Slam organisers saying Osaka could face expulsion from the tournament if she continued to avoid them.

That led to the player announcing her withdrawal the following day, saying she had suffered from "long bouts of depression".

Later, at last year's US Open, she said she would handle her decision not to speak to the media at Roland Garros differently if she had the chance now.

BBC

 

[transparent opacity]

Naomi Osaka unsure on Wimbledon after ranking points decision

Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka says she is not sure if she will play Wimbledon after ranking points were stripped from the event.

The move by the ATP and WTA came in response to Wimbledon banning Russian and Belarusian players.

Former world number one Osaka did not criticise the decision but said earning ranking points was a huge motivation.

"The intention of this measure was good, but the execution is all over the place," she told a news conference.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61553327

 

[MenInG]

Former world number one Naomi Osaka says she has gone through "more downs than ups" this year.

The 24-year-old from Japan has not won a title since last year's Australian Open and has been defeated in the first round of her past three tournaments.

A four-time Grand Slam winner, she has dropped to 48th in the rankings going into this week's Pan Pacific Open.

"This year has not been the best year for me but I've learned a lot about myself," Osaka said.

"Life is ups and downs, and this year was more down than up, but overall I'm pretty happy with where I am now."

Osaka is defending her title at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, an event which returns after a three-year absence following the coronavirus pandemic.

In May 2021, Osaka pulled out of the French Open after revealing she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018, and in September of that year she announced she would take a break from the sport.

Having withdrawn from Wimbledon with an Achilles injury and losing in the first round of the French and US Opens, the third round of the Australian Open was the furthest point Osaka reached in a Grand Slam this year.

She said the fall from the top of tennis was difficult to deal with initially.

"It was kind of hard at first, just because I feel like I should be somewhere where I'm obviously currently not," she said.

"I think for me it's more about being at peace with myself. I know that I'm here for a reason."

Osaka, who claimed her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2018 by beating Serena Williams, said she was "over trying to fill people's shoes".

"I don't think you can ever do that because everyone is unique, and we're all forging our own paths and we're all on our own journeys," she said.

Osaka will play Australia's world number 55 Daria Saville in the first round on Tuesday.

 

[Firebat]

Naomi Osaka: Four-time Grand Slam champion announces pregnancy

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has announced she is pregnant.

The Japanese former world number one, 25, withdrew from the Australian Open earlier this week, having not played since September.

"2023 will be a year that'll be full for lessons for me," said Osaka, adding that she hopes to return in 2024.

"One thing I am looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom'."

Osaka won the last of her four Grand Slams at the Australian Open in 2021.

However, she has spoken of the problems she has faced since that memorable title win.

In May 2021, after pulling out of the French Open, she revealed she had "suffered long bouts of depression" ever since winning her first major title, the US Open, in 2018.

In September 2021 she took a five-month break from the sport.

She lost in the third round of the Australian Open on her return, then the first round of the French Open, missed Wimbledon because of injury and lost in the opening round of the US Open.

Osaka played last at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September and has dropped to 47 in the world rankings.

"The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it is the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun," added Osaka, announcing her pregnancy on social media.

"These few months away from the sport have really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to.

"I realise that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure.

"I know I have so much to look forward to in the future."

Osaka is the latest high-profile player to take a break from tennis due to pregnancy.

Germany's three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber revealed her pregnancy in August, suggesting she will return after giving birth, while former world number three Elina Svitolina is expected to make her comeback this year after giving birth last October.

Serena Williams took a break to give birth in 2017 and returned later the same year, continuing to play before retiring in 2022.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/64242936

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Naomi Osaka: Former world number one wins first match of comeback at Brisbane International

New mother Naomi Osaka won the first match of her comeback by beating Tamara Korpatsch in straight sets at the Brisbane International.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, playing in her first tournament for 15 months, defeated the unseeded German 6-3 7-6 (11-9).

She will face Karolina Pliskova next.

"I'm very proud of myself," said Osaka. "I feel like I played at a pretty good level. I think my opponent played really well as well."

Osaka moved impressively and hit the ball with familiar power in an accomplished return, but did show a few signs of nerves after opening up a 5-3 lead in the second set.

The 26-year-old became a little ragged and had to save two set points before winning a topsy-turvy tie-break 11-9 to set up a second-round meeting with fellow former world number one Pliskova.

Osaka 'more open-minded, patient and confident' since becoming a mother
Osaka briefly acknowledged the New Year's Day crowd as she walked out to a warm reception, with the rain falling on the roof of the Pat Rafter Arena.

Currently unranked, Osaka made the perfect start and broke Korpatsch to love with some crisp ball striking and a couple of powerful winners.

The world number 84 offered some solid resistance after that, but Osaka broke again to take her second set point with a mighty forehand winner.

The match threatened to turn early in the second set - Osaka made a tentative start after both players returned from the bathroom and she conceded serve with a double fault.

But she restored parity immediately with some thumping winners and moved to the brink of victory by breaking the Korpatsch serve for a 5-3 lead.

It can often prove difficult to close out matches after such a long break from competition, and so it proved as Osaka played a loose service game to concede the advantage.

Korpatsch was growing in confidence and earned two set points. The second, on her own serve, was saved by a powerful Osaka backhand and the Japanese player was then able to close out the match on her own serve.

"She returned pretty well towards the end of the second set. That kind of threw me off a little bit," said Osaka.

"I just feel like I was nervous so I wasn't able to close out points the way I wanted to. I think I have to expect that from the first match of the year."

Source : BBC Sports

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Osaka wins on first Wimbledon appearance since 2019

Naomi Osaka said it "feels like a dream" as she made a winning return on her first appearance at Wimbledon for five years.

The four-time Grand Slam champion came through 6-1 1-6 6-4 against Diane Parry on court two.

Japan's Osaka returned to the tour in 2024 after giving birth to her first child, daughter Shai, a year ago.

The 26-year-old, who is now ranked 113rd in the world, was injured in 2022 and also missed the 2021 tournament while taking time off to deal with mental health issues.


BBC