Citing psychological well being issues, Naomi Osaka says she received’t do press at French Open

Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday stated she won’t take questions from the press at this 12 months’s French Open, saying the character of reports conferences places an undue burden on gamers’ psychological well being.
“I’m writing this to say I’m not going to do any press during Roland Garros,” the Japanese participant wrote on Twitter.
“I’ve typically felt that folks don’t have any regard for athletes psychological well being and this rings true at any time when I see a press convention or partake in a single.
“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.”

❤️ pic.twitter.com/EegFSKnoie
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021
Expecting gamers to reply questions after losses amounted to “kicking a person while they’re down”, Osaka added.
The world quantity two stated the choice was “nothing personal” in opposition to the event or a few journalists she stated she has a pleasant relationship with and that she hoped tournaments would rethink their method.
Many tennis tournaments require gamers to talk to the media after every match or pay a positive.
American Christian Harrison was fined $3,000 by the ATP after refusing to participate in a compulsory on-court interview on the Delray Beach Open in January amid a dispute over masks carrying.
Osaka stated she hoped the “considerable amount” that she expects to be fined will go in the direction of a psychological well being charity.
She later tweeted a video of former Seattle Seahawks working again Marshawn Lynch famously repeating the road “I’m just here so I won’t get fined”, at a pre-Super Bowl press convention in 2015.
Osaka has up to now used her platform and appreciable press consideration to focus on problems with police violence and racial inequality.
The 23-year-old made headlines earlier this week when sports activities enterprise web site Sportico reported she had earned $55.2 million over the previous 12 months, a file haul for a feminine athlete.
French Open qualifiers are underway and the event is because of finish on June 13.