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.
pic.twitter.com/LN2ANnoAYD
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021
In the statement, Osaka expressed her belief that it would be in the best interest of the tournament, the other players, and her own well-being for her to withdraw. She wanted everyone to shift their attention back to the ongoing tennis matches in Paris.
I never intended to cause any distractions, and I acknowledge that my timing was less than ideal and my message could have been more explicit. Most importantly, I want to emphasize that I would never undermine the significance of mental health or use the term casually. The reality is that I have been grappling with prolonged episodes of depression since the US Open in 2018, and it has been extremely challenging for me to navigate through it.
Osaka is talking about the intense and debatable 2018 US Open final against Serena Williams. In this match, Williams was penalized three times, including losing a game, during the last set. Despite all that, Osaka managed to triumph over Williams with a score of 6-2, 6-4, claiming her very first grand slam title.
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 notified Naomi Osaka that if she persists in neglecting her media obligations throughout the tournament, she may face additional consequences for violating the Code of Conduct.
As anticipated, if violations are repeated, they will result in stricter penalties, such as being disqualified from the tournament (Code of Conduct article III T.). Additionally, this will initiate a thorough investigation into a major offense, potentially resulting in higher fines and future suspensions from Grand Slam events (Code of Conduct article IV A.3.).
Following Osaka’s withdrawal announcement, Gilles Moretton, the French Tennis Federation President, issued a statement:
We sincerely apologize and feel deep sadness for Naomi Osaka. It is truly unfortunate that she had to withdraw from Roland-Garros. Our utmost wishes go to her for a speedy recovery, and we eagerly anticipate her presence at our Tournament next year. We, along with the Grand Slams, the WTA, the ATP, and the ITF, remain fully dedicated to the well-being of all athletes and continuously strive to enhance every facet of players’ experience in our Tournament, including media interactions, as we have always aimed to do.
Osaka mentioned in her statement that she intends to “take a break from the court,” without providing a specific duration. Following the conclusion of the French Open, the upcoming Grand Slam tournament of the season will be Wimbledon in London, commencing on June 28, just two weeks later.
Tennis, known for its individualistic nature, is well aware of the mental health issues that can arise within the professional tour. The sport, especially in singles competition, values self-dependence and determination. However, numerous retired tennis players, including Cliff Richey, a former World No. 6, and Jennifer Capriati, a former World No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion, have openly shared their experiences with mental health struggles.
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, he shared with ESPN, “I’ve come to realize that in tennis, there’s no middle ground. It’s either victory or defeat, triumph or despair.” Richey delved deeper into his personal battles in 2010 through the publication of his memoir, “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 decision made by Osaka to withdraw from media participation in Osaka, along with the resulting consequences, serves as an important opportunity for the tennis community to initiate a thoughtful contemplation on mental health in sports, and mental well-being in general. This incident can pave the way for an open and stigma-free dialogue surrounding these crucial topics.
In all three of Osaka’s career appearances at the French Open, she has been unable to advance beyond the third round. Her participation in the tournament last year was cut short due to a persistent hamstring injury. In 2019, Osaka was defeated by Karolína Plíšková, and in 2018, she suffered a straight-set loss to Madison Keys in both matches.
