naomi osaka reveals struggle with depression
4 minute read
japan's naomi osaka returns the ball to romania's patricia maria tig on may 30, 2021. (photo by martin bureau / afp) (photo by martin bureau/afp via getty images)
stay up to date on this topic
naomi osaka values her mental health — even if it means facing a penalty of up to usd $20,000.
last week, the tennis star, who was to compete at the french open this month, explained in an instagram post on wednesday that she wouldn’t be doing any press during the event in order to protect her emotional wellbeing.
“i’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes [sic] mental health and this rings very true when i see a press conference or partake in one,” she wrote. “we’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and i’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me.”
“i’ve watched many clips of athletes breaking down after a loss in the press room and i know you have as well,” she went on. “i believe that whole situation is kicking a person while they’re down and i don’t understand the reasoning behind it.”
according to french open rules, athletes can be fined thousands of dollars for refusing to speak to the press. but it’s a price that osaka — ranked number two in the world in her sport — was willing to pay.
“i hope the considerable amount that i get fined for this will go towards a mental health charity,” she wrote.
osaka more recently posted on twitter about her decision withdraw from the tournament, disclosing her struggles with depression since the u.s. open in 2018.
in the past, other tennis players have sometimes made the same decision: serena williams was fined $1,000 for refusing to attend a press conference in 2018, and novak djokovic was fined $7,500 for the same reason in 2020.
and while osaka has received support from many athletes, her stance has also begun the conversation around whether the rule around speaking to the press within a half hour after a match needs to be revised.
advertisement
“if it was just more time after that big loss, so that you can compose yourself and digest and cry out of the spotlight,” british player naomi broady told the bbc.
others point out that press briefings are an important part of the job of an athlete. and while the world tennis association issued a statement about the importance of its athlete’s mental and emotional health, inviting a “dialogue” with players, it also reiterated the responsibility athletes have to fans and the public.
“professional athletes have a responsibility to their sport and their fans to speak to the media surrounding their competition, allowing them the opportunity to share their perspective and tell their story.”
mental health in sport
it’s easy to understand how anxiety and other mental health concerns might affect professional athletes, whose work is by definition public and highly competitive. and many of them are “high-achieving perfectionists,” david yukelson, former director of sports psychology services for penn state athletics and a past president of the association for applied sports psychology told the conversation in 2019. in a lot of cases, that can make losses or disappointing performances hard to deal with.
it’s easy to understand how anxiety and other mental health concerns might affect professional athletes, whose work is by definition public and highly competitive. and many of them are “high-achieving perfectionists,” david yukelson, former director of sports psychology services for penn state athletics and a past president of the association for applied sports psychology told the conversation in 2019. in a lot of cases, that can make losses or disappointing performances hard to deal with.
and while things are starting to change, there’s still a lot of stigma related to mental illness in the sports world. the focus on physical fitness and performance can make it difficult for athletes to ask for help with a less-tangible problem, toronto’s centre for addiction and mental health (camh) explains.
a 2019 study found that elite athletes often have more negative attitudes towards seeking help for mental illnesses than the general population, and that they often fear professional consequences for seeking help. in some cases, athletes who spend most of the day training just might not have the time to seek help.
advertisement
osaka also posted two short videos on instagram. one was of an old interview with a 14-year-old venus williams, getting progressively less confident as she’s asked over and over about an upcoming match. that’s when her father richard steps in, asking the interviewer to rethink his approach.
“what she said… she said it with so much confidence the first time. but you keep going on and on,” richard tells the reporter. “you’ve got to understand that you’re dealing with an image of a 14-year-old child.”
the other clip is of nfl player marshawn lynch ahead of the 2015 super bowl, when his team the seattle seahawks faced off against the new england patriots. “i’m just here so i don’t get fined,” he said. “y’all can sit here and ask me all the questions y’all want to, i’m going to answer the same answer.” he then proceeded to answer every single question the same way: “i’m here so i won’t get fined.”
over the last few years, more athletes have started to talk about their own mental illnesses, and the realities of the pressures they face. in 2018, champion swimmer michael phelps revealed to sports illustrated that he’s struggled with depression, and that he considered suicide after the 2012 olympics, where he broke records by winning 16 olympic gold medals.
osaka’s original post received widespread praise, with supportive comments from thousands of people, including fellow athletes.
“girl, do you. your life is yours to live!” wrote venus williams.
if you’re an athlete struggling with your mental health, take a look at camh’s resources.
share story
