"You learn from people like Naomi Osaka" - World No. 1 golfer Nelly Korda on handling pressure
Having won four Grand Slam titles and ascended to the pinnacle of the world rankings, Naomi Osaka has become a superstar and a global icon at the age of 24. But handling the fame and the pressure of expectations can be challenging, and that has affecting the mental health of the Japanese.
Osaka's revelations about her struggles with her mental health have been an eye-opener for many. And recently, top-ranked women's golfer Nelly Korda also opened up on all the pressure that comes with constantly being in the spotlight.
Naomi Osaka wins the Wilma Rudolph Courage 🏆 by the Women's Sports Foundation for bringing awareness to social justice and mental health issues.
"I got the courage just to speak out growing up and seeing all of the people around me doing amazing things and not having any fear." https://t.co/0zHy0UrHo2
The 23-year-old Korda is having a dream year, where she has won the Women's PGA Championship and the Tokyo Olympic gold. The six-time LPGA Tour winner recently appeared on Fairgame, a podcast featuring champion golfer Adam Scott.
Korda was asked about handling pressure and fame at such a young age. The American replied that she has been learning from other people like Naomi Osaka and that she totally understands how hard it has been for the Japanese.
"Yeah, I mean you also learn from like, other people, I mean, like Naomi Osaka," said Korda. "You don’t even know what is gonna happen with the girl that just won the US Open. She has all this fame, and you don’t know what’s going to happen, but you know, a prime example is Osaka. Has she just shot up into stardom, and it’s super hard for her."
Being a youth icon comes with its own share of pros and cons, as both Nelly Korda and Naomi Osaka are finding out. But inspiring youngsters with her feats is something that Osaka enjoys, and Korda feels the same.
"So it’s tough," Korda said. "It honestly has its pros and cons. Everything does in life. I mean, I enjoy it. I love it and inspiring the next generation, and I love being out there, and you know, that’s what I work for. But, you know, it’s hard to."
Lindsey Vonn recently showed support towards Naomi Osaka too
Naomi Osaka's stance on mental health has seen an outpouring of support from many of her fellow athletes, across a wide variety of sports. Recently retired American alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn also expressed her happiness at seeing the conversation on mental health becoming normal ever since Osaka spoke up.
.@lindseyvonn was just a teenager when she burst onto the World Cup scene--and just a teenager when she began struggling with depression.
A secret to her success, she says: leaning into those struggles.
A good one from @jadescipioni for @CNBCMakeIt: cnbc.com/2021/10/21/ex-…
The 2010 Winter Olympics gold medalist believes the fact that athletes can now freely share their struggles without feeling embarrassed or ashamed is the biggest gain from the entire episode.
"And we can all help each other," she said. "That’s the biggest thing with all of this. We can support each other and be open about what’s going on in our lives, and not feel ashamed or embarrassed, which is what I felt for the longest time."