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NAOMI OSAKA opened up about her struggles with depression in withdrawing from the French Open on Monday night.
The world number two won her opening match against Patricia Maria Tig on Sunday, but her decision not to take part in press conferences or interviews had already become the biggest talking point of the tournament.
The grand slams reacted strongly to Osaka’s move, releasing a joint statement on Sunday that, along with a fine of $15,000 (about £10,000), threatened her with potential disqualification and a ban from future tournaments should she not reconsider.
Osaka announced the following night: “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my wellbeing is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.”
Osaka said she had suffered bouts of depression since winning her first slam title at the US Open in 2018 — where she lifted the trophy to a chorus of boos after opponent Serena Williams was awarded a game penalty — and that talking to the media made her feel anxious.
“I never wanted to be a distraction, and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer,” she said. “More importantly, I would never trivialise 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.”
Tennis greats including Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King all released statements in support of Osaka.
In the Daily Mail, right-wing blowhard Piers Morgan used his opportunity to attack “narcissistic Naomi’s cynical exploitation of mental health to silence the media.”
