Naomi Osaka has no plans to speak with the media during the French Open.
The three-time Grand Slam champion announced Wednesday that she will not do any media availability while competing at Roland Garros, citing mental health concerns for herself and fellow players.
“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” wrote Osaka, who was selected as the AP Female Athlete of the Year in 2020. “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 just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”
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Tennis players are required to attend post-match news conferences at major tournaments if members of the media ask them to. Osaka is young and is going to do what she wants. Right now, she is going to use her platforms to address her issues so the rest of the tennis community will have to just deal with it.