Naomi Osaka Withdraws from the French Open

A day after tennis officials threatened to oust her from the French Open and additional grand slams for refusing to participate in any press conferences, Naomi Osaka withrew from the French Open to focus on her well being.

In an Instagram post, Osaka, 23, wrote, "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.” She continued, “I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and message could have been clearer."

The decision to prioritize her mental health came after a referee issued $15,000 fine and as officials threatened an expulsion or more if Osaka continued to refuse to engage with the news media.

The fine had little consequence for Osaka. Last week, Sportico listed Osaka as the 15th highest in the sports publications world ranking of 100 highest paid athletes. Osaka earned a female athlete record of $55.2 million over the last 12 months.

Prior to her decision to withdraw, officials wrote, “A core element of the Grand Slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media, whatever the result of their match, a responsibility which players take for the benefit of the sport, the fans and for themselves.

These interactions allow both the players and the media to share their perspective and for the players to tell their story. The facilitation of media to a broad array of channels, both traditional and digital, is a major contributor to the development and growth of our sport and the fan base of individual players.”

In her note on Instagram, Osaka stated that she has suffered from long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018. The tennis star became a household name after she bested Serena Williams in the U.S. Open. The match included “anger, tears and boos,” according to the New York Times. The match was overshadowed but what was perceived as unfair treatment by the match’s chair umpire, Carlos Ramos, who issued three code violations to Serena Williams, which resulted in Williams losing the game. The trophy ceremony concluded with Osaka in tears.

A tennis champion that has displayed her emotions on and off the court, Osaka described herself as an introvert who has utilized headphones to help dull social anxiety. She wrote of feeling vulnerable and anxious in Paris, and mentioned that she considers some of the rules surrounding the game outdated. “I’m gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”