Naomi Osaka refuses to do press conferences

[BSR]

The reigning queen of hardcourts Naomi Osaka (current US Open & Australian champion) announced via social media that she will no longer do the mandatory post-match press conferences, citing the issue of mental health.

"I've often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. We're often sat there and asked questions that we've been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I'm just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me."

In response, Roland Garros tournament organizers have fined her $15,000 for skipping out of her 1st round press conference.  Since Osaka made $55 million last year, the fine is a drop in the bucket for her.  But tournament officials have threatened her with heavier fines in the future and even a default from the tournament (yikes!).

She has gotten support from Venus Williams (just a "you go, girl!" tweet), but criticism from almost everyone else.  Novak said that press is part of the job & that all players have to do their job.  Rafa, who has always avoided controversy like the plague, even weighed in, saying that the reason (top) tennis players are lucky to be making $millions is all the media attention, and press conferences feed the worldwide fan interest.

My opinion is that Osaka needs to suck it up.  Oh, she has to answer the same questions over & over again?  So does every other athlete, not just in tennis but in every sport.  As for the issue of mental health, tens of thousands of tennis players since the Open Era began have had to deal with tough questions, doubters, and blows to their self-esteem.  Miraculously, not one has suffered a psychological breakdown or had to check into a mental health facility.  If tens of thousands of other players had to figure out a way to get through press conferences, Osaka can too.

I wonder if the powers-that-be at Roland Garros will actually make good on their threats.  Heavier fines?  Sure, that's easy.  But *gulp* defaulting her from a Grand Slam??  Wow, that'll take a pair.  Hoooooooey! There'll be fireworks like Bastille Day times a zillion if that comes to pass.

[marylander1940]

8 hours ago, BSR said:

The reigning queen of hardcourts Naomi Osaka (current US Open & Australian champion) announced via social media that she will no longer do the mandatory post-match press conferences, citing the issue of mental health.

"I've often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. We're often sat there and asked questions that we've been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I'm just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me."

In response, Roland Garros tournament organizers have fined her $15,000 for skipping out of her 1st round press conference.  Since Osaka made $55 million last year, the fine is a drop in the bucket for her.  But tournament officials have threatened her with heavier fines in the future and even a default from the tournament (yikes!).

She has gotten support from Venus Williams (just a "you go, girl!" tweet), but criticism from almost everyone else.  Novak said that press is part of the job & that all players have to do their job.  Rafa, who has always avoided controversy like the plague, even weighed in, saying that the reason (top) tennis players are lucky to be making $millions is all the media attention, and press conferences feed the worldwide fan interest.

My opinion is that Osaka needs to suck it up.  Oh, she has to answer the same questions over & over again?  So does every other athlete, not just in tennis but in every sport.  As for the issue of mental health, tens of thousands of tennis players since the Open Era began have had to deal with tough questions, doubters, and blows to their self-esteem.  Miraculously, not one has suffered a psychological breakdown or had to check into a mental health facility.  If tens of thousands of other players had to figure out a way to get through press conferences, Osaka can too.

I wonder if the powers-that-be at Roland Garros will actually make good on their threats.  Heavier fines?  Sure, that's easy.  But *gulp* defaulting her from a Grand Slam??  Wow, that'll take a pair.  Hoooooooey! There'll be fireworks like Bastille Day times a zillion if that comes to pass.

 

Can you put yourself in someone else's shoes and see life from his/her perspective?

I don't understand this need to out Christian, out conservative, out work ethic, and out family value others. 

if she doesn't want to give a press conference (and according to "Rafa" is likely to affect her income) let her make her own choices/mistakes in life... Is not your business.

Btw is not a good time for you to be mocking mental health after you used it to justify folks walking out of their homes because of lack of human contact . I guess you were just going after Dr. Fauci's. 

Edited May 31, 2021 by marylander1940

[BSR]

An interesting resolution to this stand-off: Osaka has withdrawn from Roland Garros.

She cites in a long statement that she had suffered long bouts of depression since winning the US Open in 2018.  She also apologized to tennis journalists, which was nice to see because ever since she came on the scene, those who cover tennis have always been particularly nice to Osaka.

Honestly, I don't think Osaka thought this one through very well.  Whatever mental health issues she suffers, the solution is not avoiding press conferences.  I doubt she expected such strong blowback from fellow players nor the four Slams.  The ITF (the governing body for the 4 Grand Slams, Davis Cup, and the Olympics) threatened Osaka with not just a default from this Roland Garros but also suspensions from future Slams if she continued to shirk pressers.

With the threat of being banned from future Slams, Osaka will do what she should have done in the first place: figure out a way to deal with her mental health issues while fulfilling her press responsibilities, just as every single one of tens of thousands of professional tennis players have done for the last 53 years.

[RandyVue]

Mental health comes first. I commend her! 

[+ Charlie]

As a few commentators have already said, I don't think she thought this issue through before she made the first public announcement about the press conferences the other day. She is still pretty young, and I think it is probably a good idea for her to take some time off from a career under constant press scrutiny to deal with her own mental health problems. If I were a sensitive 23 year old woman with a Black Haitian father and a Japanese mother, raised in the US but who has become the international face of Japan although she speaks very little Japanese, and has quickly become the highest paid female athlete in the world, I would probably feel overwhelmed by pressure, too. Right now she is also being constantly pushed by all sides to take a position on the controversial upcoming Olympics in Japan. The statement about the press conferences was probably a spontaneous reaction to something concrete that she thought she could control, and instead it made things worse.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Charlie

[Leyte2019]

Im so out of it in terms of professional tennis, esp the women's side. Never heard of her. Women's tennis hasnt been the least bit entertaining or interesting since the early 2000s. So monotonous. No variety. The heydey of the women's side was the 70s and 80s. Very unique styles and personalities.Now they're just automatons. So who cares

[marylander1940]

2 hours ago, BSR said:

An interesting resolution to this stand-off: Osaka has withdrawn from Roland Garros.

She cites in a long statement that she had suffered long bouts of depression since winning the US Open in 2018.  She also apologized to tennis journalists, which was nice to see because ever since she came on the scene, those who cover tennis have always been particularly nice to Osaka.

Honestly, I don't think Osaka thought this one through very well.  Whatever mental health issues she suffers, the solution is not avoiding press conferences.  I doubt she expected such strong blowback from fellow players nor the four Slams.  The ITF (the governing body for the 4 Grand Slams, Davis Cup, and the Olympics) threatened Osaka with not just a default from this Roland Garros but also suspensions from future Slams if she continued to shirk pressers.

With the threat of being banned from future Slams, Osaka will do what she should have done in the first place: figure out a way to deal with her mental health issues while fulfilling her press responsibilities, just as every single one of tens of thousands of professional tennis players have done for the last 53 years.

 

Press "responsibilities" not press obligations. 

Why so much hatred? 

Would you like her to be dragged to a press conference in chains? 

 

[+ E.T.Bass]

I appreciate Serena Williams' comments about Osaka.

Serena feels for Osaka

[+ WilliamM]

I feel bad for Osaka.

 

Off-topic

Would enjoy seeing a new men's tennis champion in France. Please.

[+ E.T.Bass]

49 minutes ago, WilliamM said:

I feel bad for Osaka.

 

Off-topic

Would enjoy seeing a new men's tennis champion in France. Please.

If a new champ, the odds favor Medvedev or Tsitsipas.

Zverev was 2 sets down and came back to win his match.   Would be fun to see him win it.

 

[+ MysticMenace]

20 hours ago, E.T.Bass said:

If a new champ, the odds favor Medvedev or Tsitsipas.

Zverev was 2 sets down and came back to win his match.   Would be fun to see him win it.

 

zverev just gets hotter every year.

[+ MysticMenace]

Good for Naomi. As Serena said, every person handles things differently, and yes maybe she needs some time to sort things out. Kudos to her for acknowledging what she needs to prioritize her mental health.

[mike carey]

Serena says she handles post-match press conferences by reminding herself that she can play better than any of the journalists, none of them can hold a candle to her on the court.

And at ABC Sport's web site, Tracey Holmes notes that the powers that be at the four grand slams have comprehensively lost the public relations battle they had been involved in over Ms Osaka. In fact, they have gone down in straight sets, then failed to show up at the media conference.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-02/grand-slam-bosses-respond-poorly-to-osaka-french-open-withdrawal/100185462

[+ Charlie]

15 hours ago, mike carey said:

Serena says she handles post-match press conferences by reminding herself that she can play better than any of the journalists, none of them can hold a candle to her on the court.

And at ABC Sport's web site, Tracey Holmes notes that the powers that be at the four grand slams have comprehensively lost the public relations battle they had been involved in over Ms Osaka. In fact, they have gone down in straight sets, then failed to show up at the media conference.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-02/grand-slam-bosses-respond-poorly-to-osaka-french-open-withdrawal/100185462

Everything in this article is spot-on, and I've watched enough press conferences to know.

Edited June 2, 2021 by Charlie

[+ Lucky]

Hey, if I had made some $40 million by the age of 22, I'd be depressed too. Or maybe not.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/naomi-osaka-net-worth

[+ Charlie]

9 hours ago, Lucky said:

Hey, if I had made some $40 million by the age of 22, I'd be depressed too. Or maybe not.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/naomi-osaka-net-worth

Well, if I had made $40 million by the time I was 22, I would be depressed, because I would never be sure that every guy I fell for was really turned on by me and not by my money.  Talk about a reason to feel insecure. If I had made $40 million by the time I was 72, at least I would know why he was groping me.

[+ MysticMenace]

16 minutes ago, Charlie said:

Well, if I had made $40 million by the time I was 22, I would be depressed, because I would never be sure that every guy I fell for was really turned on by me and not by my money.  Talk about a reason to feel insecure. If I had made $40 million by the time I was 72, at least I would know why he was groping me.

If I had $40 million, I probably would make sure my total earning is not public knowledge to the folks I'm dating or guys I'm hiring. I probably would not have time to be depressed if I keep scheduling weekly orgies and gang bangs with all the hottest and willing guys my disposable money can afford.

[BSR]

12 hours ago, Lucky said:

Hey, if I had made some $40 million by the age of 22, I'd be depressed too. Or maybe not.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/naomi-osaka-net-worth

Naomi Osaka made $55 million last year, $5 million in prize money and a whopping $50 million in endorsements.  She is by far the highest earning female athlete.  Out of all athletes, only Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer made more than Osaka.

Osaka is currently dating a rapper.  I know nothing about the world of rap, but maybe he's as rich as she is?

To give some perspective on just how much Japanese tennis stars make in endorsements, Kei Nishikori (currently #49, career high ranking #4, zero Slam titles) makes more in endorsements than even Rafa Nadal (20 Slams, 209 weeks at #1) and Novak Djokovic (18 Slams, 323 weeks at #1).  Even Shuzo Matsuoka, the highest ranked Japanese man before Nishikori, despite a career-high ranking of #46 and just one minor title to his name, became a multimillionaire thanks to endorsements.

[+ Charlie]

It happens when any wealthy country gets its first internationally known athlete. Genie Bouchard had the same experience with sponsors when she became the first Canadian woman to make a Grand Slam final, when all sorts of Canadian companies rushed to sign her up for longterm contracts, although she didn't win that Wimbledon title, and didn't even remain a potential winner in the sport for very long.

Edited June 4, 2021 by Charlie

[marylander1940]

On 6/3/2021 at 10:14 AM, Lucky said:

Hey, if I had made some $40 million by the age of 22, I'd be depressed too. Or maybe not.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/naomi-osaka-net-worth

I'm sure there are other private issues involved that we the public don't know. Maybe she should cash in and retire or use her public persona to help others, we're happy she's asking for help. 

 

On 6/3/2021 at 10:58 PM, BSR said:

Naomi Osaka made $55 million last year, $5 million in prize money and a whopping $50 million in endorsements.  She is by far the highest earning female athlete.  Out of all athletes, only Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Roger Federer made more than Osaka.

Osaka is currently dating a rapper.  I know nothing about the world of rap, but maybe he's as rich as she is?

To give some perspective on just how much Japanese tennis stars make in endorsements, Kei Nishikori (currently #49, career high ranking #4, zero Slam titles) makes more in endorsements than even Rafa Nadal (20 Slams, 209 weeks at #1) and Novak Djokovic (18 Slams, 323 weeks at #1).  Even Shuzo Matsuoka, the highest ranked Japanese man before Nishikori, despite a career-high ranking of #46 and just one minor title to his name, became a multimillionaire thanks to endorsements.

How many of us would stand our image becoming public and constantly being judge by our looks, performance, etc.? 

Sometimes we are our worst critics. Is she unhappy with her looks, Karen Carpenter was also successful and in a time before social media she was upset about how she looked. I agree with you that having 40/55 million dollars would help me ignore what losers say about me or how tough their questions are. 

Edited June 5, 2021 by marylander1940
honoring Karen Carpenter

[marylander1940]

On 6/3/2021 at 8:02 PM, JoeMendoza said:

If I had $40 million, I probably would make sure my total earning is not public knowledge to the folks I'm dating or guys I'm hiring. I probably would not have time to be depressed if I keep scheduling weekly orgies and gang bangs with all the hottest and willing guys my disposable money can afford.

You're not alone... 

[Becket]

Not a total press blackout it seems, as she can be found on the cover of the Japanese version of VOGUE this month.

[dixietony]

So stop playing. That'll solve the problem. Until she realizes most people do get asked the same questions at their job every day. Celebrities get no sympathy from me. At least they have choices available to them normal people don't. If she worked at Home Depot and got asked the same questions every day, she wouldn't have the same choice to quit as she does now after making $55 million. Sorry, no sympathy for her having to live life as a celebrity when that is what she chose. 

[Guest]

I'm curious--maybe one of you knows the answer to this. So apparently her contract says she has to attend the press conferences. Could she just say "No comment" to all of their questions without violating the agreement? I am surprised that attending press conferences is what she considers to be the most challenging part of her job. 

[+ Charlie]

Osaka has just released a statement in which she claims that the press conference format itself is problematic and needs to be revised, and players should be allowed a number of "sick days" in which they can decline to participate.  She particularly objected to sensitive personal questions like being asked about the symptoms of her mental health problems. Anyone who has watched those press conferences has seen reporters ask questions that are intended to elicit emotional reactions from players. Top players are often scheduled to do a press conference shortly after they have suffered a match which they have lost. Many of the players are young and relatively unsophisticated, and are questioned in English, in which they are not particularly fluent. Osaka has raised a topic that really does need to be re-examined, IMHO.