Naomi Osaka pulls out of Berlin tournament

Naomi is doing the right thing by taking a break. What she needs is encouragement, compassion, understanding and support. She will eventually know when she is ready to play tennis.

It would not surprise me to see her retire. Is doubtful that tennis authorities will change the rules about having to do press conferences for one player and not everyone. Is a shame but that is the way it is. I believe that her issue is genuine and that she should be allowed to choose questions she wants to answer.

It may be that he reason that she cannot cope with this kind of thing is that she was home schooled from the age of 10. It may be something different. Maybe she will return for the US Open later in the year

What is your next mission, Naomi-chan?

The social justice warriors of the world await you!

Just give the order!

The media attention/obsession is part of becoming any kind of celebrity whether sports or other entertainment.

When i first spotted her nearly a decade ago now , it was clear she was a great talent. I never thought she would become nr 1. I tried to represent her, but she choose a major firm. I first saw problems about 5 years ago, they got gradually worse. I mentioned it to her people, to colleagues, in the press and here in JT. The signs became gradually more obvious also with too much overweight at the start of the season, the political statements, genuine in part, forced in part. Saying she “ just wants to have fun playing tennis “but it was obvious she was not.

Now the point is that she finds a life balance, with or without tennis. She has shown that intrinsically she can be one of the best ever. But she needs to stay away at least till next season as this has boxed her in a corner. When she returns the attention will be huge and she must be truly ready to be under enormous scrutiny the first 2 months of such a return. She needs to be able to trust, really trust 1 or 2 people very close to her. And then just enjoy playing and training.

So, the Australian open and 1 or 2 run up tournaments is the earliest timing.

Tokyo would be madness, as she would not be able to be herself. She is not comfortable in Japan.

Take all the time You need Naomi: to rest, rehabilitate, recover and ‘re-brand’ Yourself.

Not to worry ‘trending’ Japanese fans: Before the end of the day, in Naomi’s absence, you will find another “National hero(ine)” to rally around. * **Perhaps it will be ‘Filipino-Japanese’ teen Yuka Saso who just won the U.S. Women's Open? “A dual citizen” with a “Japanese father and a Filipino mother”, the mixed-heritage LPGA Tour player beat Japan's Nasa Hataoka on Sunday. - She may more ‘perfectly’ fit the ‘template’ as a potential, (temporary) *replacement for Naomi Osaka. - Congratulations, Yuka! -

I don't understand how so many people are still dissatisfied with her decision. Last week it was "she should have handled this better" and this time she did and people are still mad. Compassion is free and still so hard to come by.

It seems like it wasn't really about that at all . I guess there are so many entitled people who expect athletes to be robots and shut up and play no matter what instead of being real live humans.

Good. Now please don’t talk, as you wished not to have to do.

I think Naomi-chan will have to start returning some of that vast wealth from the sponsors! Oh no, then more stress will ensue!

This is the best decision for her. She needs time out and more importantly, she needs help. People lose sympathy when they see you complain when you put yourself in a position to complain and do nothing about it.

RickyMosaic:

But according to many JT experts, she only pulled out of Roland Garros because it’s claycourt.

She's not that good on grass either. Her previous appearance at Wimbledon ended in disaster from the get go.

Tennis players have had diva episodes since it became a widely televised sport. Nothing new. Federer pulled out of a tournament to recover, nobody got too riled up about that. But Osaka seems to get under the skin of a very particular group of people.

She should retire from tennis, and focus on social justice. She's already mastered tennis, and she has enough money to work towards whatever social justice she wants, and all the internet whiners can do is whine.

Yeah liberal celebrities would be a good start, as they are the ones who seem to make the most noise. and appear to be the least informed, yet dont let that stop them from sharing their opinion as fact on social media.

Terrible

Yeah liberal celebrities would be a good start, as they are the ones who seem to make the most noise. and appear to be the least informed, yet dont let that stop them from sharing their opinion as fact on social media.

Education is a lifelong journey. The delicate intricacies of shower pressure and the untapped mysteries of covfefe may elude then yet but let’s await further research together.

She should retire from tennis, and focus on social justice. She's already mastered tennis, and she has enough money to work towards whatever social justice she wants, and all the internet whiners can do is whine.

What do you think would happen if she turned her attention away from the U.S. and towards social justice issues in Japan? Would she achieve success? It's interesting that she hasn't said much about the country for which she chooses to play and identify, especially when she herself has been the target of racism in Nihon. I wonder why. Anyway, who knows what goes on in people's psychologies. To be as good as she is, she has to have been striving for it non-stop since toddlerhood. I guess that in itself could have caused implosion. Maybe she was pushed into it by her father, like Agassi. That could make one miserable. At least she's so rich that she can 1. relax in amazing mansions and 2. hire around-the-clock therapy teams to help her cope. I hope she does come out about it and find a way to help people who aren't so privileged but also have depression and anxiety.

Naomi Osaka

For years now wearing mask with black names in USA.

Asians being shot, killed, mass shooting, hit with hammers, bricks, death. No need to write names anymore by Naomi. Those names don't matter.

No need to show equal amount of support.

She cares more if the people suffering, shot are Black. Fact

You also wish celebrities wouldn’t talk. Or is that only the liberal celebrities?

Kim Kardashian is liberal. Since you like anyone liberal, maybe you can listen to one of her speeches 9n your next long drive.

What do you think would happen if she turned her attention away from the U.S. and towards social justice issues in Japan?

If she wasn't playing tennis, she would have time to do both.

"...her ongoing battle with depression..."

Has she been clinically diagnosed by a doctor with Major Depressive Disorder or Clinical Depression?

Treatment includes antidepressant medication and being under the care of a psychiatrist. Taking a break doesn't affect depression.

Treatment includes antidepressant medication and being under the care of a psychiatrist. Taking a break doesn't affect depression.

Yes it does.

I'm guessing you're not a psychiatrist.

As a matter of fact, I am. How do you feel about that?