Naomi Osaka Explains Why She Won't Be Doing Press During French Open 2021

Naomi Osaka has made an important announcement.

On Wednesday (May 26), the 23-year-old tennis star took to her Instagram to announce that she will not being doing any interviews with the press during the upcoming 2021 French Open, which will run from May 30 through June 13 at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France.

Click inside to read Naomi Osaka’s explanation…

“Hey everyone – Hope you’re all doing well, I’m writing this to say I’m not going to do any press during Roland Garros,” Naomi started. “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athlete’s mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. 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. I believe that [the] whole situation is kicking a person while they’re down and I don’t understand the reasoning behind it,” Naomi continued. “Me not doing press is nothing personal to the tournament and a couple journalists have interviewed me since I was young so I have a friendly relationship with most of them.”

Naomi concluded, “However, if the organizations think that they can just keep saying, ‘do press or you’re gonna be fined’, and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their cooperation then I just gotta laugh. Anyways, I hope the considerable amount that I get fined for this will go towards a mental health charity.”

If you missed it, it was recently announced that Naomi will be co-hosting the upcoming 2021 Met Gala in September with these fellow “Gen-Z superstars”!