Tennis icon Naomi Osaka is addressing how her public mental health journey has shaped her worldview, as well as her approach to the hardships that come with living in the limelight.
The 4-time Grand Slam champ’s interview with SELFinitially kicked off a few weeks ago, shortly after hecklers accosted Osaka at the Indian Wells Open in California. It also comes less than a year after the athlete made waves within the tennis world by straight-up refusing to participate in any press during the French Open.
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“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health, and this rings true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” she wrote. “If the organizations think that they can just keep saying ‘Do press or you’re gonna be fined’ and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their cooperation, then I just gotta laugh.”
As a result of Osaka‘s stance on the matter, the Grand Slam tournaments released a joint statement blasting the young athlete’s decision, ultimately fining her $15,000. However, Osaka also inspired various other athletes, such as Simone Biles, to prioritize their mental well-being.
“After I opened up about struggles…I spoke to a lot of athletes that told me they too had quietly been suffering,” Osaka recalled. “I am glad it gave others the opportunity to also speak up, even if that wasn’t my intention or what I expected. It started a conversation that I think we all needed to start having.”
“I just didn’t feel like I had to do things for others,” she added of her decision to speak out. “I wanted to start listening to myself and doing things that I needed to do to protect my mindset.”
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