Osaka withdraws from French Open citing struggles with depression
Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on Monday, stating that she's taking "some time away from the court" after experiencing "long bouts" of depression and social anxiety.
"I think now 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," Osaka wrote in a statement. "I never wanted to be a distraction, and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer.
"More importantly, I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly. The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018, and I have had a really hard time coping with that."
The 23-year-old caused controversy last week when she announced she would skip news conferences during the clay-court tournament. She was fined $15,000 and threatened with expulsion Sunday for refusing to speak to the media after her first-round victory over Patricia Maria Tig.
"I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right, I really want to work with the tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press, and fans," Osaka added.
The four-time Grand Slam champion said before play began Sunday that she would accept any fines from tournament organizers for skipping her media obligations. She said she hoped the "considerable amount" of money she would forfeit would go to a mental health charity.
But French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moreton said Osaka would face "tougher sanctions" if she continued dodging the media, including a potential default from the French Open and the calendar's remaining Grand Slam events.
Other players, including Rafael Nadal and Ash Barty, disagreed with Osaka's stance. Interacting with the media, they said, is part of the job.
The WTA Tour told The Associated Press last week it would welcome an open dialogue about mental health.
Osaka has used her platform to raise awareness about other causes. The Japanese player withdrew from her semifinal match at the Western & Southern Open last August in a call for racial justice as protests erupted over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.