Japanese tennis star Osaka Naomi has dropped out of the French Open. It follows her decision to skip post-match news conferences, citing concerns about her mental health.
She released a statement on Monday, saying withdrawing would be the best thing for the tournament, the other players, and her own well-being.
She did speak courtside after her opening match on Sunday, but skipped a scheduled news conference.
The French Tennis Federation fined her 15,000 dollars, and organizers of the tournament threatened to expel her.
In a Twitter post, Osaka explained in detail how she arrived at the decision. She spoke of her struggles with depression since her victory at the 2018 U.S. Open.
Osaka defeated Serena Williams in the final, becoming the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
That made her an instant international celebrity. But she says she found it very stressful dealing with the media.
In her tweet, Osaka says she's not a natural public speaker and suffers anxiety before speaking to the press.
◆drop out of ～を途中でやめる、～から手を引く、～を棄権する a sign, remark, event etc that shows what is happening, what someone is thinking or feeling, or what is true
She released a statement on Monday, saying withdrawing would be the best thing for the tournament, the other players, and her own well-being.
She did speak courtside after her opening match on Sunday, but skipped a scheduled news conference.
The French Tennis Federation fined her 15,000 dollars, and organizers of the tournament threatened to expel her.
In a Twitter post, Osaka explained in detail how she arrived at the decision. She spoke of her struggles with depression since her victory at the 2018 U.S. Open.
Osaka defeated Serena Williams in the final, becoming the first Japanese tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
That made her an instant international celebrity. But she says she found it very stressful dealing with the media.
In her tweet, Osaka says she's not a natural public speaker and suffers anxiety before speaking to the press.
◆drop out of ～を途中でやめる、～から手を引く、～を棄権する a sign, remark, event etc that shows what is happening, what someone is thinking or feeling, or what is true
◆cite （論拠などを）挙げる、示す、～を引き合いに出す、～を引用する to persuade someone not to do something, especially by making it seem difficult or bad OPP encourage