April 30, 2021, MADRID, MADRID, SPAIN: Naomi Osaka of Japan in action during his Women's Singles match against Misaki Doi of Japan on day two of the WTA 1000 - Mutua Madrid Open 2021 at La Caja Magica on April 30, 2021 in Madrid, Spain
There are likely to be plenty of people that have cancelled an event or not gone to a party due to anxiety. Even if you are not someone that suffers from mental health there are likely to have been events that you have found tricky.
However, Naomi Osaka probably has one of the most high-profile event withdrawals that we have seen in recent times. The Grand Slam champion recently revealed that she would be withdrawing from the 2021 French Open.
Several events have led to Naomi Osaka quitting the Roland Garros, but she has publicly stated that mental health is a reason for her departure.
One of the first things that started the road to her quitting was the post-match press conferences. She was required to attend a press conference after her match against Patricia Maria Tig. She beat Tig and took part in an interview on the court directly after the match.
However, she refused to attend the press conference afterwards. The World No. 1 was fined $15,000, a significant amount by all means, even for those in Canada that may want look for top 10 real money online casinos.
Unhappy with the fine within 24 hours of this she announced that she would be taking a break and no longer partaking in the competition. This, as you can imagine, got plenty of attention from the sporting media industry.
Naomi has talked about the reasons why she felt not attending the press conference was the right thing to do. She has spoken about her feelings surrounding press conferences and how she feels they are “kicking people when they are down”.
The Japanese star released a statement on Instagram that she didn’t want to be a distraction from the Roland Garros. Osaka recognized her timing wasn’t the best and that she needed to look after her own wellbeing.
Whether it is talking about her bouts of depression over the last 3 years or being vocal about online trolls or women’s issues, she has always voiced her opinion.
She recognizes that the press has always treated her kindly. However, she always had anxiety when attending events with the world’s media.
Osaka said she was away from home and needed to look after herself. She talks about how she feels the obligation to attend an after-match press conference are outdated. And that more should be done to protect people and encourage them to practice self-care.
Sometimes it can feel like the world is a busy place. We simply don’t have time to step back and look after ourselves. However, this example from Naomi shows it is never too late.
This could be going for a walk, seeing friends, or simply having a night to yourself. Whatever it takes to look after yourself, use Naomi’s example.