Meghan backs ace in media boycott storm
TENNIS star Naomi Osaka has said the Duchess of Sussex and Michelle Obama have given her their sup‑ port amid a row over her decision to skip press con‑ ferences to protect her mental health.
The world No2 pulled out of Wimbledon as a fierce debate raged about whether profes‑ sional sports men and women should apparently avoid media scrutiny of their form.
She said was unprepared for the backlash but revealed how Meg‑ han – who has been highly critical of the press – and the former first lady of the US had ‘supported, encouraged and offered such kind words’. Miss Osaka, 23, also said men’s world No1 Novak Djokovic had been in touch.
The Japanese player – who is the highest paid female athlete in the world – announced in May that she was with‑ drawing from the French Open after receiv‑ ing a £10,000 fine for declining to take part in press conferences. She revealed she suffers ‘huge waves of anxiety’ before speaking with the media... so I thought it was better to exercise self‑care and skip the press conferences’.
She also said she had experi‑ enced ‘long bouts of depression’ since the 2018 US Open, which she won against Serena Williams in front of an antagonistic crowd. She pulled out of this year’s Wim‑ bledon to take ‘some personal time’, though she is due to play in the Tokyo Olympics this month.
In an essay for a special Olym‑ pics issue of Time magazine, Miss
Osaka wrote: ‘The world is as divided now as I can remember in my short 23 years. Issues that are so obvious to me at face value, like wearing a mask in a pandemic or kneeling to show support for anti‑ racism, are ferociously contested.
‘So, when I said I needed to miss French Open press conferences to take care of myself mentally, I should have been prepared for what unfolded.’
Miss Osaka also called for sports stars to be allowed to take ‘sick days’ so they can skip media com‑ mitments without having to explain their reasons.
This week British tennis sensa‑ tion Emma Raducanu, 18, retired from Wimbledon after experienc‑ ing breathing difficulties on court. She later said she thought her fairytale run ‘caught up’ with her.