Naomi Osaka, world number two, withdrew from Roland Garros yesterday and I have opinions.
The day before the tournament started, she announced on social media, followed by an email to the tournament organizers, that she was not going to be doing any post-match press conferences during the tournament. Her reason for this was that she wanted to protect her mental health. Since these press conferences are part of the requirements for players, she knew she would be fined and she was willing to pay the fines. (In her note, she says she hopes the fines go to a mental health charity but these fines actually go towards player development.)
Anyway, the Slams – all four of them – took this hard and fired back, saying that if Osaka didn’t change her mind, she would be kicked out of this and possibly future tournaments. Osaka did not back down. Instead she said, I think I’ll just step back and let you all think about what you’re doing, to which the Slams essentially said, our bad, you have all our support and assistance.
Where was all this support and assistance before?!
So, as I said, I have opinions. First of all, I take mental health seriously, so good on Naomi Osaka for recognizing this is something she struggles with and all manner of props to her for trying to manage the situation and take care of herself. Consider Iga Swiatek, who literally turned 20 two days ago and travels with a full-time sports psychologist.
However, I disagree with Osaka’s decision to just skip all press. Media engagement and press conferences are part of the job and they’re important for the sport. Billie Jean King says so, and let’s take her word for it. I mean, I don’t enjoy presenting my research or doing public advocacy because I’d like to protect my mental health but I just have to find a way to make it work. Also, thank God because so far I’ve only ever been asked to do print and radio interviews so I never have to worry about appearing on camera. The most you’ll see of me onscreen (I hope) is a talking head delivering a prepared presentation.
I think there are ways to make the press conferences a bit more bearable for Osaka (and others) – better moderation, for example. There are definitely idiotic reporters who don’t follow tennis and only appear at the Slams and ask the most ridiculous questions, especially of the women. When she was 19, Genie Bouchard was asked if she was prepared to be held up as a sex symbol. What does that have to do with her tennis?
But while I don’t think Osaka should have just walked out on the media, I also don’t think the Slams needed to band together and be quite as publicly antagonistic as all that. I mean, she’s got a team, a manager, an agent – how about you go talk to them and try to work something out quietly without coming out and waving all your guns at her? They did say they tried to contact her and she didn’t respond, but she also emailed them and said please talk to my agent.
So I have nothing but respect for Osaka sticking to her guns, giving up a huge job opportunity – and all the ranking points and prize money that comes with that, not that she needs the money since her sponsors are standing behind her – and putting her money where her mouth is. It’s a huge loss for the tournament, for her, for fans, for the sport, but hopefully this means more people will be taking mental health seriously.