Novak Djokovic has praised ‘brave’ and ‘bold’ Naomi Osaka for opening up on her struggles with depression and anxiety after withdrawing from the French Open.
Osaka had announced prior to the tournament that she would not attend press conferences on the grounds they were injurious to her mental health, which brought strong response from the four Grand Slams.
The world No 2 then made the decision to quit the competition after winning her opening match against Patricia Maria Tig, stating that she had suffered ‘long bouts of depression’ since winning the US Open in 2018.
Novak Djokovic (left) praised ‘brave’ Naomi Osaka (right) for opening up on her struggles with depression and anxiety
The 23-year-old’s second statement received widespread support from inside and outside tennis, with Djokovic to praise her decision to speak out.
‘I support her. I think she was very brave to do that,’ said Djokovic, who overcame Tennys Sandgren with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory to mark the first ever men’s night session on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
‘I’m really sorry that she is going through painful times and suffering mentally, is what I have heard.
Osaka withdrew from the Grand Slam after winning her opening round match on Sunday
‘This was, I must say, a very bold decision from her side.
‘If she needs to take time and reflect and just recharge that’s what she needed to do, and I respect it fully. I hope that she’ll come back stronger.’
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Osaka had been threatened with disqualification and a ban from future tournaments if she did not reverse her decision not to fulfil her media commitments before her decision to pull out of the tournament at Rolland Garros.
But following Osaka’s withdrawal, another statement from the four Slams took a different tone.
‘On behalf of the grand slams, we wish to offer Naomi Osaka our support and assistance in any way possible as she takes time away from the court,’ read the statement. ‘She is an exceptional athlete and we look forward to her return as soon as she deems appropriate.
‘Mental health is a very challenging issue, which deserves our utmost attention. It is both complex and personal, as what affects one individual does not necessarily affect another.
‘We commend Naomi for sharing in her own words the pressures and anxieties she is feeling and we empathise with the unique pressures tennis players may face.
‘While players’ well-being has always been a priority to the grand slams, our intention, together with the WTA, the ATP and the ITF, is to advance mental health and well-being through further actions.’
However, the continued to stress the need for fairness to be maintained through regulations.
‘Together, as a community, we will continue to improve the player experience at our tournaments, including as it relates to media,’ the statement read.
‘Change should come through the lens of maintaining a fair playing field, regardless of ranking or status. Sport requires rules and regulations to ensure that no player has an unfair advantage over another.
‘We intend to work alongside the players, the tours, the media and the broader tennis community to create meaningful improvements. As grand slams, we aim to create the stage for the players to achieve the highest accolades in our sport.’
Source: Daily Mail
