tennis

Osaka thanks fans for support after French Open departure

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Thanks for the update! Take as much time as you need!

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

You're welcome, Naomi-chan. Japanese and millions of others are right behind you. Get yourself right mentally, rest up, and see if you are ready to go for Gold if the Olympics goes ahead.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

A fine tennis player I agree but they are innovators doing what to make our society better?

0 ( +4 / -4 )

So she isn't an introvert anymore? She needs to stay away from social media and understand that when she post things on them will contain some negative comments. If she can't live with the negative comments than social media isn't for her. In life people agree and disagree with you, deal with it!

7 ( +11 / -4 )

I won't be surprised to find this is all leading up to Naomi pulling out of the Olympics. In fact that might very well have been behind the twittering about refusing to speak to the media and her mental health.

This then led understandably to the French Open and other Grand Slam tournaments publicising the rules to stop this before it led to other 'activism on mental health' and other players deciding they would do what they liked as Naomi was doing it.

I think she genuinely doesn't feel up to playing at the moment and if she pulls out of the Olympics then people should respect her right to put her well-being first. However, the way she and her team did this after the French Open organisers had offered support tells me she was trying to create a bandwagon of no interviews unless we say so.

Pro sports in the US have already seen their share of multi millionaire players doing this but I don't think this should come to the tennis tournament structure where four different countries host the Grand Slam tournaments. The US model of confrontation in this case will just end up destabilising a sport where a minority player in Serena Williams has already shown you can upend the status quo, be aware and still fulfil your obligations to the rules.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Jayy EdwardsToday  05:36 pm JST

I won't be surprised to find this is all leading up to Naomi pulling out of the Olympics.

Osaka will definitely play in the Tokyo Olympics, which will be played on hard courts, the surface on which she performs best.

In early May, Osaka lost in the second round of the Madrid Open on clay, and in mid-May she lost in the first round of the Italian Open on clay. In late May, she withdrew from the French Open, also on clay. She’s never played well on clay. But she’s won the last two hard-court majors (Australian Open, U.S. Open).

4 ( +5 / -1 )

You're welcome! Ganbattekudasai, Naomi-chan!

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

She doesn’t want to do interviews, but She’s happy to give comments on social media, where she doesn’t have to answer to anyone.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Many of the best sports athletes in the world use therapists nowadays to heal their minds in addition to their bodies

At the highest elite levels the competition is so close, they now recognize that the mind is as important as the body - every little edge can be the difference between winning and losing

3 ( +3 / -0 )

If she doesn't want criticism, she shouldn't pipe up about issues she may know little about. Publicity is a large part of professional sports, it is quite silly to see athletes try to get the best of both worlds- use their fame and celebrity for their pet causes, but cry for privacy when criticized. Nobody is forcing her to be a pro tennis player. She can take her millions and retire tomorrow if she wants.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

No professional athlete can sign up to promote the sport globally, refuse to carry out an after match press conference,

Only then to fall back to social media as a trade off.

That a clear calculated attempt to manipulate a strategy of events

What must be gulling for grand slam tennis.

Did Naomi attempt to discus this with tournament officials before announcing her intentions on social media?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

People should have some humanity and respect the lady has expressed she doesn't feel well. The Tennis organisations, public and anyone else do not own her she is a human being. Some peoples comments and a fine are stupid.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

What is happening to Osaka is the same thing that happened to Kaepernik, Prince Harry and Markel. Wealthy, privileged celebrities have decided that they can mold the world in their image by utilizing the power of “their platform”. They have convinced themselves that they are victims despite the fact that they are within the upper reaches of the 1%. I don’t know if Osaka is truly suffering from a mental illness. I wouldn’t doubt that she is. The current social media and celebrity culture seems to cause very serious and negative effects on so many.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

If a tennis professional enters a tournament, then in doing so, commits oneself to mandated media commitments. One is under obligation to honour that pledge. Win or lose.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

It's just a game.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This whole saga reminds me how much sports media can be by far the worst in the entire profession, especially those in Continental Europe. The worst part is that it's pretty much well documented on how much of a negative impact they have had former top champions in women's tennis like Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis.

I swear there are a number of sports journos out there who deserve to be banned for years before athletes get the axe. There is absolutely no need to be nice to journalists who willfully behave like stupid people, especially those who are willing to ask silly questions or trying to fit a specific narrative. They should not even be allowed at press conferences. And besides, they are becoming totally irrelevant and obsolete in the age of social media.

Personally, I couldn't care less about what athletes say about their performances because I don't need that to appreciate them. I want them to perform at the top of their capabilities, even if that means getting rid of all needless distractions whatever those are.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

What is happening to Osaka is the same thing that happened to Kaepernik, Prince Harry and Markel. Wealthy, privileged celebrities have decided that they can mold the world in their image by utilizing the power of “their platform”. 

What are you on about? It happened to them or they decided to make it happen? Which is it?

And what platform? Is there a point?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

And what platform? Is there a point?

What platform? Do you ever listen to these celebrities in interviews? They talk about it incessantly. Their “platform” is access to the media, social and corporate, that they use to influence the masses in the proper groupthink. Judging by the interest in Oprah’s interview with Harry and Markel, the masses seem to be hanging on their every word. Osaka has herself used the term “her platform” in media interviews on numerous occasions. The point is that professional tennis and basketball players, former actresses, talk show hosts, and former royalty have come to believe that they are role models for society as a whole, and not just in the things that made them famous- like professional tennis.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Good for her. So inspirational and already an Icon/legend. Props to Osaka!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Simian Lane wrote

My gut feeling is she is a fraud on this. But she’s young, and a fine tennis player. I think she will learn from this, or has already. The whole world is suffering. She needs to I understand, and perhaps does now, that people don’t like to hear anyone whining, especially the richest woman athlete in the world currently

Could you expand on your thinking. Please explain how or why she is a fraud?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Just a joke …

nothing to compare with the trauma of Monica Seles when she was stabbed.

she recovered and became number 1 again.

that’s a champion spirit.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Women’s tennis is fortunate to have such a graceful representative.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Some of you, like me, are Brits. You will no doubt be aware of the Daily Mail and the hate-filled readers comments. JT comments, especially when relating to Naomi Osaka, are starting to resemble that vile tabloid. Debate is great and far from me to suggest how you should opine however I would just ask you to consider your credentials before offering your own opinions of the mental wellbeing of others.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@Johnnie Walker

I agree. Some people fit the profile of subscribers to the Daily Mail, The Sun or any other hate-filled outlet from the Murdoch media empire. They can always comment on those places among other garbage dwellers if they want. I hate it that JT allows this mess to be spilled here.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What will Naomi-chan's next mission be?

Should I have said "calling" instead?

She's not your ordinary social justice warrior, you know.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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