We remember his withdrawal from Roland Garros after the first round and the insane controversies that followed. Absent in the wake of Wimbledon, Naomi Osaka will participate well in the next Olympic Games. “I am preparing little by little to be at the best of my form” in Tokyo, indicated the world number 2 in a message published by the NHK. “Ever since I first gained the attention of the world, I have always had anxiety attacks. This is particularly the case with the approach of major competitions, ”she explained.
His withdrawal from the Parisian Grand Slam was the consequence of a dispute with the organizers over his media commitments. On May 27, she posted the following message on Twitter: “I am writing this to say that I will not answer any questions from the press during Roland Garros”. She added: “I have often felt that people have no regard for the mental health of athletes and it strikes me every time I see or attend a press conference.”
The revelation of his ongoing battle with anxiety and depressive episodes, which took him away from the circuit in recent weeks, had sparked heated debate and a lot of reactions. In her message to NHK, published in Japanese, Naomi Osaka said she was “proud” to play for her country at the Olympics. “This time the Olympics will be in Japan, where I was born. I have many pleasant memories in Japan. I am proud to play as a member of the Japan team for the Olympics ”.
She will take into account her “mental health”
Recently, she continued, “I have spent a lot of time with my family. I can peacefully come down under pressure, mentally and physically ”. And to conclude: “From now on, I will go to press conferences, while taking into account my mental health”. According to her, the privacy of athletes “should be protected”.