Tennis star Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open after row over media boycott
- The four-time grand slam champion was earlier fined US$15,000 and threatened with expulsion for not holding an obligatory press conference
- Osaka said she would not be attending such media events as the way journalists quiz players adversely impacts her mental well-being
Japan’s Naomi Osaka stunned the French Open on Monday when she announced she was withdrawing from the tournament in the wake of her decision to boycott post-match media duties.
Osaka said in the build-up to the tournament that she would not attend the obligatory press conferences, citing that the way journalists quiz players adversely impacts her mental well-being.
The four-time Grand Slam champion made good on her threat on Sunday when, after winning her first round match, she did not hold a press conference.
She was fined US$15,000 by Grand Slam organisers who issued a statement later warning of possible expulsion from Roland Garros and future majors if she fails to change her stance.
On Monday, the world No 2 decided to take matters into her own hands to end the stand-off.
“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago,” the 23-year-old Osaka said on Twitter.
“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.
“I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer.”
Japan’s Naomi Osaka could be kicked out of French Open over media boycott
Osaka, one of the biggest name’s in women’s sport, went on to say she had suffered from depression since 2018.
“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said.
“Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I’m often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.”
There was no immediate response from tournament organisers.
