Naomi Osaka, world number 2, announces her withdrawal from the tournament

Naomi Osaka, world number 2 in the ranking of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), announced on Monday, May 31, her withdrawal from the Roland-Garros tournament. “The best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I am retiring [de la compétition] so that everyone can refocus on tennis ”, thus tweeted the player.

“I will be retiring from the courts for a while, but when the time comes I really want to work with the circuit to discuss ways to improve things for the players, the press and the fans”, she also announces. “I never wanted to create a disturbance and I understand that the timing was not good and that my message could have been clearer”, she specifies, adding that she has gone through “Long periods of depression since the US Open 2018”.

Already fined $ 15,000

The Japanese had been engaged for several days in a standoff with the organizers of Roland-Garros, after announcing on Wednesday on social networks that she would not participate in the tournament’s press conferences to preserve her mental health. She was thus sentenced to a fine of 15,000 dollars (12,300 euros) for actually refusing to appear after her match against Patricia Maria Tig (won 6-4, 7-6 [7/4]) at the Roland-Garros tournament, Sunday.

“Often, we are asked questions that we have already been asked many times, or questions that make us doubt and I will not submit to people who doubt me”, she had justified. Holder of four Grand Slam titles, the 23-year-old risked disqualification if she did it again, organizers said.