Naomi Osaka’s French Open exit sheds light on issue of athletes' mental health

The world no. 2 withdrew from the tournament after being fined for refusing to attend press conferences on mental health grounds

Naomi Osaka’s shocking decision to pull out from the French Open after being warned of steeper fines or expulsion for skipping post-match press conferences has pitted tennis fans and advocates of mental health against the tournament’s organisers who say the mandatory media obligations are a crucial part of the game.

The world no. 2 and four-time Grand Slam winner took to Twitter late on Monday to say that she was dropping out of the tournament because she felt it was “the best thing for the tournament” and for other players that everyone goes back to focusing on the tennis.

Also read — French Open: A shocking exit and a sad day for tennis

Roland-Garros officials handed the Japanese star a $15,000 fine on Sunday and threatened her with disqualification after she stuck to her decision not to attend a mandatory news conference following her first-round win on grounds of safeguarding her mental health.

“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,” heads of all four Grand Slams had said in a statement.

Read more: Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open after bitter media boycott row

Media coverage has been crucial in promoting sports for years because it helps draw public interest, fill seats at matches and go a long way in getting in building an interface between audiences and athletes, which helps them get paid in the long run. However, Osaka’s departure from one of tennis’ most prestigious tournaments highlights the cost players sometimes have to pay to answer reporters’ questions after high-pressure games.

Support for Osaka poured in from all over the tennis world and beyond, including from tennis great Billie Jean King and 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams, who said she empathised with Osaka and had been in those positions.

Also read — Serena Williams says dealing with media scrutiny made her stronger

Over the years, players have grappled with their relationship with the media but it hasn’t always gone smoothly. Williams herself was the subject of a cartoon that many suggested had racist undertones after an outburst in the 2018 US Open final that she lost to Osaka. She was also the subject of much media and public outrage for her on-court behaviour.

The United Kingdom’s top female player Johanna Konta took exception with questions from a journalist after her 2019 Wimbledon quarterfinal loss that she felt were harsh and patronising.

Even current men’s world no. 1 Novak Djokovic has been the subject of harsh criticism in press conferences, replying to one reporter’s question about his on-court frustration at the ATP world tour finals with, “you guys are unbelievable.”