NAOMI OSAKA WITHDRAWS FROM ROLAND GARROS
Japan Naomi Osaka on Monday announced she was withdrawing from the French Open following organisers threats of disqualification for staying away from media duties. The four-time Grand Slam champion had said before the start of the tournament she would not attend press conference to protect her mental health.
The organisers of the four major Grand Slams, the French Open, Australian Open and the US Opens as well as Wimbledon had responded by fining the world No 2, $15,000 and threatening her with further sanctions, including defaulting her from the tournament.
However, the organisers had defended tennis stars’ participation in the tournament which had passed through necessary protocols and considered Naomi’s threat not enough reason to boycott the press conference. However, Naomi has now spoken that she was suffering from depression since the 2018 US Open final against Serena Williams., and pulled out of the event
The 23 year-old who had won her first game Sunday against Romanian Patricia Maria Tig said,
“The best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.”
“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.”
With the four time Grand Slam winner withdrawing from the tournament, it will obviously be a disadvantage for her fans that hoped she would have added another crown to her titles. Naomi is the world highest paid female athlete and she is currently considered as one of the world biggest tennis stars.