Naomi Osaka will not play in this year’s French Open.
After winning her fourth Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open, Osaka announced her withdrawal from the second Grand Slam of the season on Monday. In a statement shared on social media, Osaka explained that she would be skipping the clay-court tournament to protect her mental well-being.
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— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
In her statement, Osaka expressed her belief that it would be beneficial for the tournament, the other players, and her own well-being if she were to withdraw. She concluded that this would allow everyone to refocus their attention on the ongoing tennis event in Paris.
I deeply regret causing any distractions and I acknowledge that my timing was not ideal, and my message could have been more explicit. It is crucial to me that I never belittle the importance of mental health or use the term frivolously. The reality is, I have been grappling with prolonged periods of depression since the US Open in 2018, and it has been an immense struggle for me to cope with.
In the intense and much-debated 2018 US Open final against Serena Williams, Osaka emerged victorious, securing her first-ever slam title. Williams faced three code violations, including a game penalty, in the decisive set, while Osaka triumphed with a final score of 6-2, 6-4.
Ahead of the French Open, Osaka announced her pledge to skip post-match press conferences to protect her mental health. After her first-round match win against Patricia Maria Tig on Sunday, Osaka stood by her word and was handed a fine for her actions.
Osaka, the world’s No. 2 ranked player, was fined $15,000 for not participating in a mandatory post-match press conference. In a joint statement, all four Grand Slam organizers threatened expulsion from the tournament and future Grand Slams if she continued to not speak to the media.
In a joint statement on Sunday, the four Grand Slam tournaments conveyed that Naomi Osaka has been informed about the potential consequences of disregarding her media responsibilities during the tournament. They cautioned her that failure to comply could result in additional violations of the Code of Conduct.
It is not surprising that repeated violations result in stricter penalties, such as being disqualified from the tournament (according to Article III T. of the Code of Conduct). Additionally, a major offense investigation may be initiated, potentially leading to significant fines and future suspensions from Grand Slam events (as per Article IV A.3. of the Code of Conduct).
Following Osaka’s withdrawal announcement, Gilles Moretton, the French Tennis Federation President, issued a statement:
We express our deepest apologies and sympathy towards Naomi Osaka. It is truly disheartening that she had to withdraw from Roland-Garros. Our utmost wishes are for her speedy recovery and we eagerly anticipate her participation in our Tournament next year. Just like all the Grand Slams, the WTA, the ATP, and the ITF, we are fully dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of all athletes and continuously enhancing every aspect of their tournament experience, including their interactions with the media, as we have consistently aimed to do.
Osaka mentioned in her statement that she intends to “take a break from playing on the court,” without providing a specific duration. Following the conclusion of the French Open, the next Grand Slam tournament of this season will commence on June 28th in London, known as Wimbledon.
Tennis, well-known for its individualistic nature, is well aware of the mental health challenges that players face on the tour. The sport, especially in singles competitions, places a premium on players’ ability to depend on themselves and demonstrate determination. However, numerous ex-professional tennis players, including Cliff Richey, who was ranked as the sixth-best player in the world, and Jennifer Capriati, a former world number one and winner of three Grand Slam titles, have openly shared their experiences with mental health issues.
Richey, a tennis player who made it to the semifinals of the US Open and French Open, openly discussed his experiences with clinical depression. In 2015, Richey remarked to ESPN, “I have never tied a match. It’s always about winning or losing, being on a high or a low.” In 2010, he delved deeper into his personal challenges by publishing his memoir, titled “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match.”
Capriati — who at 15-years-old became the youngest ever to reach a Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon in 1991 — battled anxiety and depression during and after her pro career, which was cut short due to injuries. Following an arrest on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession, at the age of 18, Capriati voluntarily entered a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. After she returned to tennis, the then-23-year-old Capriati made a plea during a 1999 US Open press conference with the media, begging them to keep their questions focused on the present instead of the mistakes from her past.
The tennis community should take a moment to reflect on Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the media and the resulting consequences. This incident has the potential to initiate a much-needed discussion about mental health in sports, as well as mental health in general, by removing the stigma surrounding it.
In her three career appearances at the French Open, Osaka has never advanced beyond the third round. Her streak was interrupted last year due to an ongoing hamstring injury, leading to her withdrawal from the tournament. In 2019, she was defeated by Karolína Plíšková, and in 2018, she suffered a straight-set loss to Madison Keys in both matches.
