Posted on 05/31/2021 12:54:57 PM PDT by Conserv
Naomi Osaka will not play in this year's French Open.
After winning her fourth Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open, Osaka announced her withdrawal from the second Grand Slam of the season on Monday. In a statement shared on social media, Osaka explained that she would be skipping the clay-court tournament to protect her mental well-being.
"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," Osaka said in the statement.
"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. 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."
Ahead of the French Open, Osaka announced her pledge to skip post-match press conferences. After her first-round match win against Patricia Maria Tig on Sunday, Osaka stood by her word and was handed a fine for her actions.
Osaka, the world's No. 2 ranked women's singles player, was fined $15,000 for not participating in a mandatory post-match press conference and was also given a warning that if she continues to not speak with the media she could risk even stronger penalties. She was risking default from the French Open and the tournament organizers at Roland Garros said there could be "more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions."
Osaka has not made it past the third round at the French Open in her three career appearances. Last year, she was forced to withdraw because of a nagging hamstring injury. In 2019, Osaka lost to Karolina Pliskova and in 2018, she lost to Madison Keys. Both matches were straight-set losses.
I thought their jobs were to play tennis and football respectively. Media SJW’s like you were ruining sports.
Stop being ridiculous.
They even incorporated his schtick into a nascar ad where he said i am only doing this so i dont get fined.
Agreed. Plus she gets paid a lot of frickin’ money to play as a Professional in a Professional Tournament.
So to you sports are all about preening for the media, And not actually about an athletic competition. People like you are the reason I barely watch sports anymore. I like athletes that don’t count down to the media.
Apparently some athletes are the last ones to realize that pro sports wouldn’t exist without mass media coverage.
I agree. If she was a drama Queen the media would love her.
but, but..... the poor dear just can’t utter two words.
Then play at the country club, honey.
That’s what the media says about having freedom or voting in our own country. I don’t remember when we signed up to be ruled by the media.
I’m no expert but I imagine the tennis organization is run as a business to some degree. Does the player have an agent that obtained a contract for her to play? Is the a publicity event on the contract?
I guessing yes since they had the authority to fine her.
The fact that you think I’m being ridiculous shows how brainwashed you are. People like you who wanna be ruled by the media making it difficult for the rest of us.
People like you make me LMAO.
Media is part of the publicity machine that generates interest and revenue to enable them to pay her a prize to compete
She can go play in her backyard if she cant handle the contract she signed
she should just show up and give one word answers.
Yes like the nba as run as a business. That’s why nba players And executives aren’t allowed to criticise China because the NBA thinks it might cost them money.That’s the side you’re on?
If she wants to come off as a Marshawn Lynch moron/Big Baby, then by all means.
i get your point- but still a shame.
Like Hollyweird, there are plenty more women players just waiting to take her place at that level.
There is a poster here who has a relative that competed in that world before he got Covid. Is that you... I cant remember
That’s where the paychecks come from. Media gives exposure to the athletes, helps them become popular, which adds viewers, which sell commercials, which makes the TV contracts bigger, which makes the winners purse bigger. You gotta pump the well. I can fully understand not wanting to talk to the media, but it’s not like any of this is new, media has been a part of the game cycle longer than I’ve been alive, meaning longer than Osaka has been alive. She knew the sharks were there, she chose the pool.
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