"I didn't really know how to cope with the media attention, I was hiding inside my house for 2 weeks" - Naomi Osaka on the aftermath of her media boycott
In a recent interview with CBS News, Naomi Osaka opened up about her bittersweet relationship with the media in 2021 and her role in bringing mental health conversations in sport into the limelight.
Ahead of Roland Garros last year, the Japanese star announced her decision to relinquish her post-match media commitments in order to safeguard her mental health. The move attracted mixed reactions from the public, and she eventually withdrew from the event. She opted out of tournaments over the next couple of months.
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Osaka said that she wasn't in the best of spirits after the whole episode and felt burdened by the massive media attention. Unable to weather the storm outside, the 24-year-old revealed that she "hid" herself in her house for close to two weeks.
"At the time that that happened, I was really sad," Naomi Osaka said. "And honestly, I was a bit embarrassed because I had never received media attention like that before. I didn't really know how to cope with it. I don't know, I was kind of hiding inside my house for like two weeks. "
By the age of 23, Naomi Osaka – winner of four Grand Slam tennis titles – had become the highest-paid female athlete in the world, ever. And when she withdrew from the French Open last year – citing depression and anxiety – she lost none of her corporate sponsors https://t.co/zDdJvq0eRP
Naomi Osaka, however, disclosed how a woman at a grocery store thanked her for speaking up about her mental struggles, a step that inspired her son to embrace his own. The interaction, Osaka said, helped her gain confidence about her decision.
"But when I came out to go to the grocery store or something, there was a woman that came up to me," she continued. "She was saying how her son deals with anxiety and I really helped him out a lot. I think that was a moment that I realized, 'Oh … I might have actually helped someone.' Even though I was a bit scared, I was happy with the choice that I made."
The former World No. 1 further pointed out how sportspeople are often ridiculed for being vocal about issues beyond the sporting realm. Determined to break the stigma, Osaka emphasized the importance of expressing her opinions in order to empower those coming after her.
"Of course, the goal was to protect myself, whether I knew it or not," she said. "I've been kind of watching athletes struggle for a while. I vividly remember, every time someone says something about the world or politics, you'd be told, 'You're just a sports person.' I kind of felt like, 'Oh, we must not be allowed to have feelings, in a way.' Just kind of go out there, perform, and then go back in. I always think that I want to make life a bit easier for the people that come behind me."
"I am where I wanted to be as a kid" - Naomi Osaka
The four-time Grand Slam champion proceeded to talk about how her success is a result of a collective effort by her family. She highlighted her parents' dedication towards her tennis dreams, before revealing her contentment on having achieved the goals she set for herself as a child.
"I came from a mom that worked basically my entire childhood to put me through tennis," Naomi Osaka revealed. "My dad was with me the entire time. I knew that they had a really hard time. Tennis is an expensive sport. So, just to put two kids through that - I always call my parents a bit crazy. Because that's definitely a dream. But I think they completed that, and I am where I wanted to be as a kid."
When asked if she "loves" tennis, Osaka answered in the affirmative, saying that the hiatus last year was significant in helping her realize that love again.
"I mean, I love tennis," she remarked. "I think I had to take a little step back from it just to see the full picture again."
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