Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, world number 2 and winner of four Grand Slam titles, announced on Monday that she is withdrawing from Roland Garros so that "everyone can refocus" on the sport, following the controversy of being fined $15,000 for not attending a press conference during the tournament.
"I think it's best for the tournament, for the other players, and for my well-being that I withdraw so that everyone can refocus on the tennis being played in Paris," the player announced on her Twitter account.
Osaka, who explained that she has suffered from depression since the 2018 US Open, added that she did not intend to be a "distraction" and admitted that she was not clear enough in stating that facing the media harms her mental health, which is why she did not participate in the press conference after winning the first round of the tournament.
The Japanese player will be taking a break from the courts for a while and "when the time is right," she wants to speak with the tournament organizers to see if it would be possible to facilitate the situation for the players, the press, and the fans.
According to the tennis player, upon arrival in Paris, she felt anxious and vulnerable and thought it would be better to take care of herself and not attend the press conferences.
"I privately wrote to the tournament to apologize and say that I would be happy to speak with the press after the tournament, as Grand Slams are intense," she explained.
Osaka, who has won four Grand Slam tournaments (two US Opens and two Australian Opens) but none on clay, explained on the same social media platform on May 26 that she would not participate in any press conferences at this Roland Garros.
In her opinion, meeting with the press brings insecurities and doubts to her game, a situation she wanted to avoid at all costs.
"We are often asked the same questions over and over again, or questions that sow doubts in our minds, and I simply will not face people who doubt me," she commented at the time.
She also criticized the organizers for imposing press conferences under the threat of fines, at the expense of "ignoring the mental health" of the tennis players.
Following these events, the organizers fined her $15,000 on Sunday for not attending the press conference and stated that if she continued to refuse her media obligations, they could even expel her from the tournament. EFE