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Tennis: Osaka drops out at the French Open

Tennis

After discussions about her media boycott, world number two Naomi Osaka left the French Open on Monday. The Japanese justified her waiver in entries on her platforms in the social networks with depression, which she has had since starting at the US Open 2018.

You have “really struggled” with it. You suffer from social phobia, wrote Osaka. They would also be accompanied by these fears at press meetings. “I think the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is if I withdraw so that everyone can focus on tennis in Paris again,” wrote the 23-year-old.

Osaka won in the first round at Roland Garros on Sunday 6: 4 7: 6 (7/4) against Patricia Maria Tig (ROU). Since she did not show up for the press conference afterwards, she was fined $ 15,000. She now wants to take a break, so Osaka.

No press conferences

The Japanese had won the Australian Open for the second time this year. At the said US Open, she won the title three years ago. After winning the final against Serena Williams, she was booed during the award ceremony after Williams had previously verbally messed with the referee and thereby also received penalty points. In 2020 Osaka won again in New York.

Osaka had announced in the run-up to the French Open that it would not take part in the mandatory media conferences. She justified the measure with the fact that journalists would not consider the psyche of the athletes. After she made her announcement on Sunday true, the organizers of the four Grand Slam tournaments threatened to face tougher sanctions if they repeated, such as exclusion from the tournament.

Time out from tennis

Osaka now anticipated these possible penalties by withdrawing. Although the tennis press has always treated her well, she is very afraid of speaking in front of media representatives, she wrote. In Paris, too, she felt vulnerable and fearful and therefore made the decision to skip the press conferences out of self-protection.

You will now take a break from the court, so Osaka. When the time is right, she wants to discuss with the tour how to make things better for players, media and fans.

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