Osaka says she won't do news conferences at French Open

Excellent move! And yes, some of the "journalists" camping in press conference rooms are the lowest of low - congratulating a player after he or her just lost, or asking extremely aggresive questions in the hope of creating and being cited for a scandal.

"I'm here so I don't get fined" should be the standard answer for all players - a "strike" if you wish, until the standards improve.

‘Playing sports’ for a living is both physically and mentally stressful. Being a ‘celebrity’ is also ‘emotionally’ taxing.

She's not erudite, so I don't think people are missing much.

Well, she's not going to speak to the media in Japanese. That's for sure.

I wonder why this decision came about now. Is it going to be her policy going forward, for all tournaments? Or is there something specific about the French Open press situation that led to this?

Japanese ‘media’ take heed - she doesn’t care to speak in Japanese anymore or to talk anymore about what she eats. (Was it katsu-don?). Anyway, please stop asking.

On the topic of her food ‘preferences, does this also mean she will be resigning her endorsements of Nissin, Cup Noodles, etc?

she doesnt have any current social narratives to push, especially in France.

Osaka may be setting an overall precedent for her future tournament ‘performances’.

Are we also to expect she no longer “wear” or “display” any ‘imagery’ inconsistent with the tennis tournament in which she’s competing at the time?

Naomi san has a contractual duty to sponsors to complete a full tournament PR schedule, which will include press conferences.

Sign a contract, take the money, Naomi san must give full support as a professional, to attend the press conferences.

Naomi Osaka’s complete sponsors list...

https://sportskhabri.com/naomi-osaka-brand-ambassador-endorsement-partner-sponsor/

Then always last the Naomi san fans, seemly an after thought.

This may also be the prelude to announcing her end as a public ‘activist’. Should we also expect she will now refrain entirely from any further “tweets”, “posts”, etc and ‘speaking-in-general’ on any other, unrelated ‘off-court’ issues, as well?

The Japanese media won't be missing much. It's not as if she ever speaks to them directly.

I think $he'll $oon change her tune when the $ponsor$ $tart getting fru$trated.

Can you make the same point @Pukey2 using “ ¥ ” ?

I'm not sure how many tennis fans are postings here, or just the typical guys reacting to the name "Osaka" in the title and getting their chance at bashing.

This problem of news conferences has been discussed by many players, and for sure most of them are unhappy with this custom, at least in the present form. After a 5 hour match, late at night, enduring half an hour of questioning, and in many cases inane or outright disrespectful question is strange. The players give a short interview on the court at the end of the match, surely that would be enough to satisfy the media.

Good for Naomi-chan.

She has the right to speak whenever she wishes. Is she gets a big fine, so be it. Making over $50 Million per year means a fine is of no concern to her. Why should Naomi have to endure these typical nonsense reporters questions after playing a marathon game? Their line of questioning is always disrespectful and feeds the many racist haters and trolls she has, always attacking her because she isnt afraid to speak her mind and tell it as it is.

Good luck for Major number 5, Naomi-chan! Rub it in those haters faces again!

Well, she’s smart about one thing, don’t trust the msm, they are not your friend. Good on her.

She probably doesn't want to be asked about the Olympics.

On this occasion, Naomi Osaka was well spoken and her intentions are clear. She declared her ‘acceptance’ of any potential fines and expressed a ‘dream’ that any monies collected would go to a worthy charity. Naomi Osaka was able to express her ‘feelings’ and ‘beliefs’ in this article. Yet we may have, perhaps, overlooked her offering any ‘opinion’ about any issue?

Understood and thanks for your viewpoint of our questions @RickyMosaic 2:38pm. Seems a fair way to address reasonable questions from a given topic. Agreed - We wish her the best in her endeavors.

On the topic of public personae, speaking and addressing potential questions:

Is all this ‘*dar**ing’ talk today of verbal “bombs, on this and various other threads, referring to and insinuating that other posters may be “ignorant”, “morons”, “losers”, etc consistent with the “open forum” and “exchange of ideas*” relative to the articles at JT?  

Other media are accepting of ‘questions and critique of the information published’ but don’t really seem to condone that type of ‘exchange’ between readers.  Otherwise, it’s just ‘bad form’.  

As @ebisen 12:19pm points out, ‘some” may be ... 

- “asking extremely aggresive questions in the hope of creating and being cited for a scandal.” -

It sets ‘an overall, unwelcoming tone’ of how, credible or not, this media source is generally perceived and regarded, wouldn’t you agree?

Naomi Osaka is surprisingly quiet about the Olympics. What don't Japanese lives matter as much as black lives? Now is the time to speak up Naomi!

Tennis star Naomi Osaka says she is not going to speak to the media during the upcoming French Open.

Wow! That's a neat trick!

How do we get her to stop speaking in Japan, twitter, and anywhere really, as well?

“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes' mental health and this is very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” wrote Osaka, who was selected as the AP Female Athlete of the Year in 2020. “We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”

Osaka added: “I’ve watched many clips of athletes breaking down after a loss in the press room and I know you have as well. I believe that whole situation is kicking a person while they’re down and I don’t understand the reasoning behind it.”

You're getting paid madddd money to play a sport. Deal with it. It comes with the territory. You're an "entertainer." Didn't you get the memo? All movie stars, athletes and whoever, go through with it. Where have you been since, pro sports started

She later posted a video clip of Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's famous “I'm just here so I don't get fined” appearance at a Super Bowl media day.

Really? You're using Lynch as an example. That man knows the deals. He has the charisma and the skill to back it up. He knows how it's done, in an entertaining way.

If anything, you should watch what he does. Learn from him, and use the natural given talents you have to your advantage. Not everyone is able to do that. If you can't handle, step away.

Understood @2:58pm. Naomi Osaka does have a right to express, or withhold, her thoughts, just like any one else.

- “Won't someone think of the posters on the internet?!” -

Thank you for ‘pleading for the equitable treatment of others’.

So then, you agree that it’s best to treat each other with civility or, at least, in a civil tone, without all the daily ‘condescension, insinuations and back-handed remarks when someone may not agree with another’s viewpoint?

I mean, if I actually ever said something stupid, people could make fun of me for it too. Live by the sword...

Coward. She's just ducking questions about the Olympics and being forced to get off the fence and take a stance.

There is more. As an athlete she is bound by the organisers and the WTA rules. If she publicly announces she will knowingly break the rules she must be suspended from competing. You can not compete outside the rules whenever that suits you

facing the public, the press and the fans in times of defeat as well as success is the duty of a professional athlete. Paid by the fans indirectly and directly by sponsors, and organisers. Facing defeat is also the hallmark of a real champion.

Osaka is again only thinking of herself, shunning her responsibilities and indeed ducking difficult questions around the Olympics.

also the press should boycott her for a full season till the next Roland Garros. She will soon be crying for attention

if she does as well as she has the last couple tournaments, since Melbourne, no one will want to talk to her anyhow,

There is more. As an athlete she is bound by the organisers and the WTA rules. If she publicly announces she will knowingly break the rules she must be suspended from competing.

The suspension penalty is based on your reading of the WTA rules, or you just make it up?

You can check the rules if you want:

https://photoresources.wtatennis.com/wta/document/2021/03/08/d6d2c650-e3b4-42e7-ab2b-e539d4586033/2021Rulebook.pdf

You can find the penalties on page 117. As she is a top 10 payer, she will have to pay $2,500 for the first and second offenses, and $5,000 after that.

She's supposed to be a professional, it's all part of the package, not just playing the game but giving news briefings win or lose, so they can hit the media which pays for her bills. She's pretty much taken a typical tennis player stuck up attitude.

Timeon, as on ex organisor of several ranked tennis tournaments, ex manager of over 10 top ranked players, buying and selling tennis tv rights, sourcing tennis tournaments sponsorships and players endorsements, i know the rules.

there is a difference of missing one press conference with intentionally declaring you beforehand you will not follow the rules.

it is the same as a soccer player stating before the game he will commit a yellow card offence. Should you let him start the game ?

one can not profit from a sport or federation and at the same them deliberately shun the rules if and when you want.

a professional must behave in a disciplined and dignified way and declaring you arw going to break the rules beforehand is unethical

Robert, the penalties are written in the WTA rules. It is a monetary fine, not suspension. To use your analogy, after two yellow cards ($2500 fines), she gets orange cards ($5000 fines), but the rules do not stipulate suspension. Ethical or not-ethical, that's a different story, you invoked the WTA rules.

The far right war on freedom of speech continues. Still they have their followers believing revenge porn is free speech.

Dont know what you’re talking about, wrong thread. No one he’s trying to make fun of the woman, please stop with the regurgitated liberal talking points, some people are just saying she shouldn’t talk and become part of the main story eclipsing it. Other than that she can say whatever she wants and go wherever she wants.

Naomi Osaka is a intelligent and gifted tennis professional.

Work the press conferences to your advantage.

But first and foremost don't run and hide, you are better than that.

That's great news, the less she says the better off we will be. Just play tennis.

Well, that's the surest way to ensure she is no longer Japanese anymore... don't sell out the media here. THAT will be a lot tougher of a choice than speaking to the media at the French open; refusing to answer for the billionth time if she can use chopsticks.

Ultimately she is free to do what she wants. She has accepted the fine. In todays world for the very top athletes, the media needs her not the other way round .

the media needs her not the other way round .

maybe, but tennis as a whole, needs the media for promoting the sport.

Take away the media coverage, & see how tennis’s popularity fares