The tennis star has helped to shine a light on an issue that is only growing by the day
In late May, the tennis champ Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, after officials fined her $15,000 and threatened to suspend her from the tournament for opting out of mandatory media activities. In her statement, Osaka explained that she was having to contend with “huge waves of anxiety” before each speaking engagement, and that she’d also struggled with depression following her 2018 US Open win against Serena Williams, where she was booed and jeered by the crowd during the trophy ceremony for defeating the US legend.
The series of events sent a clear message: that in the world of elite sports, mental health is still not a priority. Yet rather than bow to the organization’s demands, Osaka opted to remove herself from a situation that she knew would jeopardize her mental wellbeing (the 23-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner has since also withdrawn from the Berlin WTA tournament, raising questions about whether she will be competing at Wimbledon later this month).
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Tayo Bero is a freelance journalist