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Jonathan White

Stars of the tennis world and beyond have rallied round in support of Naomi Osaka after the world No 2 pulled out of the French Open over her mental health and media obligations.
Osaka withdrew from the tournament on Monday night, a day after she was threatened with disqualification.
“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,” Osaka said on social media.
“I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and message could have been clearer.”
Serena Williams expressed her support for Japan’s Osaka at her post-match press conference at Roland Garros.

pic.twitter.com/LN2ANnoAYD
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021

“I feel for Naomi, and I wish I could give her a hug because I’ve been in those situations,” she said. “You have to let her handle it the way she wants to in the best way she can.”
“So proud of you,” wrote Serena’s sister, Venus, on Twitter. “Take care of yourself and see you back winning soon!”
Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open after row over media boycott
Fellow player Coco Gauff, who plays her first round game against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic on Tuesday, posted a comment on Osaka’s post. “Stay strong I admire your vulnerability,” it said.
Legend Martina Navratilova also posted her support for Osaka.
“I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be OK,” Navratilova said. “As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi – we are all pulling for you!”

I am so sad about Naomi Osaka.I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi- we are all pulling for you!
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) May 31, 2021

Another legend, Billie Jean King, expressed her support for the world No 2 on social media.
“I fully admire and respect what Naomi is doing with her platform, so I am a little torn as I try to learn from both sides of this situation,” King wrote on Twitter, noting the impact of the media.
“In our day, without the press, nobody would have known who we are or what we thought. There is no question they helped build and grow our sport to what it is today.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka could be kicked out of French Open over media boycott
“I acknowledge things are very different now with social media and everyone having an immediate ability to speak their truth.
“The media still play an important role in telling our story. There is no question that the media needs to respect certain boundaries. But at the end of the day it is important that we respect each other and we are in this together.”
Outside tennis, some of the biggest athletes in the world spoke up.

My thoughts on Naomi Osaka’s decision not to speak with the press at Roland-Garros. pic.twitter.com/BzvHDU3DQY
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) May 30, 2021

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry was among a host of NBA players to show their support.
“You shouldn’t ever have to make a [decision] like this – but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be don’t protect their own,” he wrote on Twitter. “Major respect.”
Ja Morant, of the Memphis Grizzlies, posted the message “We with you” along with a black heart and strong-arm emojis.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love was another basketball player to direct a message to Osaka: “Love, respect, and positive energy your way,” he wrote.
Naomi Osaka can afford French Open fine more than Tokyo 2020 distraction
WNBA star Elizabeth Cambage was another to show her support, as did former player Lisa Leslie.
“Doing media is forced upon us. It’s time to start protecting those that don’t want to speak … let their game speak for them. Being forced to do media shouldn’t be part of being an athlete,” Cambage wrote on Twitter.
Russell Wilson, NFL quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, said “We are with you” in a tweet, while the fastest man in history, Usain Bolt, shared praying hands emojis.
Away from sport, supermodel Naomi Campbell, English actress Jameela Jamil and US congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez all backed Osaka’s decision on social media.


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Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka: French Open, NBA stars back decision to pull out over mental health as world reacts

Naomi Osaka leaves the French Open after beating Patricia Maria Tig of Romania in the first round. Photo: EPA

Tennis star Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open after row over media boycott

Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her first-round match at the French Open on Sunday. Photo: AFP

French Open: Japan’s Naomi Osaka could be kicked out of tournament over media boycott

Japan’s Naomi Osaka during the first-round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Sunday. Photo: AP

(210530) -- PARIS, May 30, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Wang Xiyu hits a return during the women's singles first round match between Wang Xiyu of China and Danielle Collins of the United States of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 30, 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

Romania's Patricia Maria Tig clenches her fist as she plays Japan's Naomi Osaka during their first round match of the French open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Sunday, May 30, 2021 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2021 Japan's Naomi Osaka in action during her first round match against Romania's Patricia Maria Tig REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Naomi Osaka can afford French Open fine more than Tokyo 2020 distraction

Japan’s Naomi Osaka pictured at the 2021 Italian Open. Photo: Reuters

Naomi Osaka of Japan walks in wearing a mask with the name of George Floyd on it before her Women's Singles quarter-finals match against Shelby Rogers of the United States on Day Nine of the 2020 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/TNS)

Tennis -WTA Premier 5 - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 12, 2021 Japan’s Naomi Osaka looks dejected after losing her second round match against Jessica Pegula of U.S. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

French Open: curtain up on Roland Garros and Naomi Osaka’s code of silence

Naomi Osaka will remain tight-lipped in Paris this week. Photo: TNS

(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 4, 2021 France's Benoit Paire looks on during his 2021 ATP Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament singles match against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Caja Magica in Madrid. - For more than a year, the show put on by Benoit Paire, a mixture of botched matches, provocative declarations, but also a deep-seated malaise since the beginning of the pandemic, has at best caused sorrow, often annoyance. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)

Jeremy Lin back in New York – joins Naomi Osaka in Times Square ad for Asian-American NGO campaign

Jeremy Lin in action for the Beijing Ducks in the 2019-2020 Chinese Basketball Association. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Tennis


Steph Curry leads support from the NBA while Usain Bolt and NFL star Russell Wilson also back world No 2 walking away for mental health
Williams sisters and Coco Gauff express support with legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova also speaking up



Williams sisters and Coco Gauff express support as Steph Curry leads voices from the NBA, while Usain Bolt and NFL star Russell Wilson also back world No 2 walking away.


French Open

Mental health