BEVERLY HILLS, May 27, (THEWILL) – On Wednesday, world number two female tennis player, Naomi Osaka, announced a boycott of Press Conferences during the upcoming clay Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
The four-time Grand Slam winner shared this decision across social media platforms from her official accounts and made it clear that the reason was personal as she wanted to focus on her mental health, above all else.
She wrote: “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.
“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 not just going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”
The 23-year-old was not comfortable with the practice of athletes breaking down in front of the media after a loss and believed the practice of requiring athletes to talk about their losses after a game is like “kicking a person while they’re down,” which she intends to avoid.
Osaka made sure to insist that her decision was “nothing personal to the tournament,” or to the Press, with whom she generally has a friendly relationship.
Showing an appreciation of the rules, she ended her statement by acknowledging the fine she must pay for not meeting the Press and expressed her hopes that the money would go to a mental health charity.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
