Naomi Osaka says she "never wanted media training" as she didn't want to change her personality or offer canned responses
It is no secret that Naomi Osaka is one of the most popular sporting icons in the world and the highest earning female athlete in history. But it is also no secret that Osaka is a shy and introverted person.
The latter bit caught worldwide attention two months ago as Osaka decided to boycott all press conferences at Roland Garros, which subsequently forced her to withdraw from the tournament. Now in an interview with Women's Health Magazine, the Japanese has opened up in detail about her approach to press conferences.
Explaining why she refuses to go into auto-pilot mode, Osaka claimed that "media training" would make her something that she isn't and thus rob her of her unique individuality.
"I never wanted media training," Naomi Osaka said. "Because I didn’t want to change my personality to offer a canned response that didn’t feel like me. Yes, some people may find my personality different, just as they do my mixed-race background, but I find it to be the thing that makes me uniquely myself."
Ever since she burst into the spotlight by winning the 2018 US Open in dramatic fashion, Osaka has struggled to deal with the attention that has come her way. At the same time, the Japanese has also become a leading voice when it comes to racial injustice and now mental health.
During the interview Osaka revealed she is learning to embrace her introverted nature, even though it has frequently brought her increased attention and anxiety.
"Growing up being [labeled] 'the quiet one' puts you in a box and, even worse, makes you stand out when all you want is to blend in," Osaka said. "But now I try to embrace and own it."
"Now more than ever I see that you can be more than just someone who plays tennis" - Naomi Osaka
Following her withdrawal from Roland Garros and subsequently Wimbledon too, Naomi Osaka returned to the courts at the Tokyo Olympics before traveling to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open. She lost earlier than expected at both tournaments, and even had a breakdown during her first press conference in Cincinnati.
But Osaka is hopeful that by opening up about mental health and allowing herself to be vulnerable, she has been able to help out others like her who are struggling. The 23-year-old also asserted that athletes are human beings at the end of the day, and that they all have something or the other to deal with.
"I hope I was able to help some people and for them to see that even athletes are still humans like the rest of us," she said. "And we all are dealing with something in our lives."
Besides her on-court achievements, Naomi Osaka has also garnered a lot of praise for the social initiatives she has undertaken. That includes her work with the American show company Nike on Play Academy, which promotes exercise and teamwork among young girls in Japan.
Osaka elaborated on the thought behind the academy, highlighting how "fulfilling" it is to help others.
"The thought that a gesture, an activation, a program can impact and change a life, that’s really powerful to me," Osaka said. "Of all the things I do, I find that when I am doing my best to help others, it’s most fulfilling."
The Japanese signed off by asserting that in today's times, a tennis player can don many different roles in addition to what they do on the court.
"Now more than ever I see that you can be more than just one thing," Osaka said. "More than just someone who plays tennis."