Naomi Osaka, one of the top women's tennis players in the world, pulled out of the French Open over the weekend because the tournament fined her $15,000 and threatened to make her default for refusing to speak to the media as required.
Osaka used the crutch of "mental well being," as her excuse, releasing an Instagram post to state her case.
In it she states she doesn't want to participate in press conferences where she's asked questions she's been asked before or have to answer questions about what happened if she performs poorly because she doesn't want to "subject myself to people who doubt me."
In other words, this has nothing to do with mental health and everything to do with Osaka only wanting to be fawned over. That's not a mental healthy disorder, and it does a disservice to those with actual mental health issues.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021
She doesn't want to be bored by answering repetitive questions -- for which I don't necessarily blame her -- and she doesn't want to have to speak to anyone if/when she plays poorly.
While Osaka said in a later post that she has dealt with depression, it is with that second point with which I take umbrage.
See, Osaka has earned $55.2 million in the past 12 months. She has earned just over $5 million of that playing tennis. The other $50 million she receives from endorsements for companies such as Nike, Beats by Dre and Mastercard.
It's no different than when Marshawn Lynch said he couldn't talk to the media when he was a player because he had social anxiety problems. But now, put a mic in his face and offer him some money and he won't stop speaking.
Those companies didn't give her that money out of the goodness of their heart. They gave it to her because she's the No. 1 women's tennis player in the world. And she's No. 1 because of the avenue provided to her by the WTA and those who have come before her.
Those women who came before her, including Billie Jean King, Chris Everett, Martina Navratilova, Serena and Venus Williams and others, scratched and clawed to build women's tennis up so that Osaka and others could become what she is today.
She does them a disservice by refusing to speak to the media -- and by extension, her fans -- as every other player is required to do. It's what's required when you sign your name on the dotted line to play in a tournament, the same way it's necessary when you sign your name on the dotted line to play any professional sport.
Why? Because it helps sell the game, the sport or the event, which are, after all, entertainment. And if you don't do that, you're biting the hand that feeds you.
Handling media obligations is part of the job, in good or bad situations. It comes with the territory so that those such as Osaka can earn those millions of dollars.
After all, what would happen if all of the players refused to talk? You can bet it wouldn't help the TV ratings.
If the questions get too repetitive, have some fun with them. Spin them however you'd like. Or just be a jerk and say, "Next question." But if you only want to be fawned over, you got into the wrong business. Professional athletes have to take the good with the bad when it comes to praise and scrutiny.
To use mental well being as the reason, however, is hijacking a very serious issue. And that's just wrong.
