That's an interesting stance to take. I don't really care to hear too much from people in the midst of their competition, and a tournament is a long competition. So, fine by me. I think that while for most people, this is a privilege and no real drawback, I can see that it is very hard to take on many young athletes.
Definitely respect it but it’s also a little sad as her post match interviews are wildly entertaining
She doesn’t want to have to answer the question ‘Should the Olympics go ahead?’ Using mental health to protect herself from a difficult question is disgraceful. Obviously she is terrible at press conferences and is worried she might say something that upsets her sponsors in Japan and potentially loses her a lot of money. She should be banned.
Also, Swiatek will win the French Open again. Osaka doesn’t stand a chance on any surface that isn’t a hard court.
She called their bluff. They said she was risking expulsion and she just withdrew. They should've given her some space. At first she was saying no to pre-match interviews but post-match would be ok. Cause pre-match is just 30 variations of "You haven't been good on clay. What makes you think this time is any different?" And I could see how for someone young and sensitive, that's going to affect how she plays. Her job is to play to the best of her ability, not to provide fodder for someone to hand in their rote assignments. https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1399422304854188037
lke_4:25 wrote:
Definitely respect it but it’s also a little sad as her post match interviews are wildly entertaining
Agree. She may be soft-spoken and introverted but she is pretty funny and unique.
We need to start holding these media personalities accountable. Athletes and people they interview and report/make stories on are not puppets--they are human beings. The lack of accountability for the media enables them to manipulate narratives and mess with people. Most vidoes/interviews/stories remain on the internet and there are a plethora of biased and reprehensible ones where the media takes no accountability for screwing with peoples emotions and livelihoods. They need accountability. Good for Osaka for not putting up with the media BS. Hopefully this can begin a new trend in order to summon a sense of responsibility for these media personalities who use people like ragdolls to profit. They are sick in the head and money hungry.
I may have been a bit harsh on her. She’s obviously under a lot of pressure and was trying to communicate that to whoever runs the tournament. Surely they could have found an alternative way of doing it? E.g. the journalists submit their questions and she/her representatives provides written answers later.
However, it is not surprising that she has received zero support. Tennis is a brutal sport. Your misfortune is someone else’s opportunity. Remember when Monica Seles was stabbed, they asked the top players to vote on whether to protect her ranking. It was almost a unanimous NO. Only Gabriella Sabatini abstained.
Obviously, this is highly racial. Justice is sought for this.
It's no wonder that Pickleball is gaining popularity when the tennis players are having mental health issues for making millions of dollars. Let's hope she can get the help she needs and lead a quiet life away from the center court.
She should take a page from the Marshawn Lynch playbook. "I'm just here so I don't get fined".
If she wants to be a recreational tennis player, that's fine. But being a very highly-paid professional carries with it contractual obligations, that all ATP and WTA players are bound by. Her job isn't confined to the tennis court.
Look what the millennials have done! See what happens when weaponized victimhood becomes the norm?
Where did she use the phrase "hental health"? It seems that you are attributing a spelling mistake to her that she did not make in her post.
She definitely should try to access some professional mental health support.
That's going to be tough to afford though what with her 60 million annual income.
Oh no.
I agree with Steve the Addict.
First, I don't know anything about her. I don't follow tennis.
But fear of public speaking is a real thing. Social anxiety is a real thing. I don't know if she is faking it as some other posters seem to be implying, but those things really do exist.
I understand that players have contractual obligations to participate in press conferences. She does, too.
She balanced her discomfort against participation in the tourney and decided her discomfort was too great. She asked for special consideration due to her problems. Was she given special consideration? It wasn't clear from the article I read. I am assuming not. She didn't complain. She just said, "OK, then I'll withdraw."
This is how mature adults should do things, in my opinion.
If having her as part of these events is important to "tennis," they'll make a new rule to exempt players with documented issues... like players in other sports who get exemptions to use otherwise banned drugs. If not, they won't, and she can see how she feels about participating in the future.
In other words, this is exactly how the "process" should work, in my opinion.
misquote wrote:
Where did she use the phrase "hental health"? It seems that you are attributing a spelling mistake to her that she did not make in her post.
I presumed it was a typo and she meant hentai health. I won't bother reading the article, I'm just going to go fantasize a while.
I'm glad she didn't leave the court screaming at the top of her lungs.....F$#@ WTA they F$##@ me over!
journalist wrote:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2WA7rBX0AYR6-3?format=jpg&name=largehttps://sports.yahoo.com/naomi-osaka-french-open-media-blackout-mental-health-tennis-233117050.html
Umm. The better side of Wokeness. Get on board racist!