Naomi Osaka Stands Up For Her Mental Health
On Monday, May 31st, Naomi Osaka announced her withdrawal from the French Open to focus on her mental health after being fined $15,000 for not participating in post-match interviews. In an Instagram post announcing her withdrawal, she revealed that she had “long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018”. She went on to state that she skipped press conferences because of her anxiety and felt the need to withdraw from the event completely to practice self care.
It takes incredible courage to openly talk about struggles with mental health and we support Naomi Osaka in her decision to protect her own mental health and well being. This is a huge step in ending the stigma and creating more conversation around the importance of mental health.
Fellow athletes, celebrities, and even Nike are showing their support for her decision as well, fueling important conversations about mental health. Fellow professional tennis player, Venus Williams, commented on Osaka’s Instagram post, “So proud of you. Take care of yourself and see you back winning soon!”
Will Smith shared a note addressed to Naomi via Instagram
“You are right. They are wrong! I am with you.”
Nike published a statement supporting Osaka stating "Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience.”
The Calm app has also come out to support Naomi Osaka by paying her $15,000 fine as well as the fine for players opting out of Grand Slam media appearances for mental health reasons.
