Tennis champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the German Open days after leaving the French Open amid concerns for her mental health. Osaka, who is currently the second-highest ranking woman in the sport, left the tournament in Paris after administrators fined her for not doing press conferences.
“We have received notification Naomi Osaka cannot start in Berlin,” Berlin WTA organizers told Reuters in a statement on Monday (June 7). “After consulting her management, she will take a break.”
The organizers offered their support of the tennis star in the statement. “We wish her all the best for the rest of the season and hope to see her next year,” they said.
Osaka took to social media last week to share her departure from the French Open, citing her needs for self-care and taking care of her mental health. Osaka’s departure came after organizers imposed a $15,000 fine on the 23-year-old for missing a press conference and threatened to ban her from the tournament altogether.
“I never wanted to be a distraction,” Osaka wrote on May 31. “I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.” Fellow athletes, celebrities, and companies voiced their support of Osaka after news of her decision to leave.
“Our thoughts are with Naomi,” Nike said in a statement last week. “We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience.”
As of now, Osaka has not announced when she’ll resume playing.
If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
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