After winning her opening match at this year’s French Open, No. 2-ranked tennis player Naomi Osaka skipped her mandatory post-match press conference, citing mental health reasons.
Osaka was not only given a $15,000 fine, but was further threatened with a default from the Grand Slam tournament if she continued her media boycott. In other words, if Osaka skipped any subsequent press conferences for any reason, she would automatically be disqualified from the tournament.
In addition to defaulting from the French Open, Osaka was also threatened with expulsion from all future Grand Slam tournaments for continued code violations, which require all players to attend all post-match press conferences.
With controversy rising, Osaka simply withdrew from the French Open altogether, as she announced via Twitter. Though she admitted her “timing was not ideal”, Osaka expressed that she had been dealing with “long bouts of depression” since the 2018 US Open. Said tournament ended in a controversial finals match against 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
Taking Mental Health Seriously
Osaka also cited her heightened social anxiety, especially before interactions with the media, and says that she isn’t “the best public speaker”. She announced her intention to skip the mandatory press conferences ahead of the tournament to call attention to “outdated rules” and to “exercise self-care.” Though she plans to take some time away from the court, she intends to “work closely with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”
The Grand Slam officials state that they penalized Osaka to ensure fairness amongst all participants, especially those who “honor their media commitments.” They also claimed to have resources to help with the players’ well-being, but did not expound on them. Nevertheless, they expressed their regret over Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open and hoped to see her at other future events.
The Tougher Parts of Self-Care
Quite often, and especially around Mental Health Awareness Month–which took place this past May–netizens and pundits alike will extol the virtue of self-care. Here, the “self” aspect is particularly contentious, as it has led to an $11 billion industrial amalgamation of beauty products, luxury retreats and technology that moves further and further away from the self.
This isn’t to say that consuming products supplemental to self-care is inherently unethical–this author finds personal solace in many things from yoga, to burning incense, and especially watching cartoons. However, another aspect of self-care is setting boundaries, which require an acute self-awareness of one’s limits.
In Naomi Osaka’s case, one of her known boundaries is participating in interviews. While it’s understandably tempting to lambast her–or any wealthy celebrity for that matter–for using her privilege to skip out on a mandatory press conference, there is still a human aspect at play here.
As spectators, we mostly see the glory and the payoff, and seldom get a glimpse of the often agonizing effort it takes to become a champion and manage one’s fame. Unless it’s depicted in a documentary, the life of a celebrity is an iceberg, with the deeper, more frigid aspects hidden from the public eye.
The Depth Below the Surface
For the average person, the iceberg metaphor is one of the basic conceptions of social media, although it’s more often compared to a “highlight reel”. Quite often, the average person’s highlight reels pale in comparison to that of a celebrated public figure. Therefore, we chide celebrities when they seemingly brush off public appearances and accuse them of being unappreciative.
But one’s mental health is affected by both internal and external factors. Osaka’s internal factors were anxiety and depression. The known external factor is the media itself, especially sports media; the likes of which often lead to tedious and draining interviews with athletes.
Yet, as Osaka stated herself, she was exercising self-care during this time. And because it was done in a way that was seemingly impolite or inconvenient for others, she got punished for it. Her actions were analogous to the average worker taking a mental health day, or a friend declining an invitation to an event. Though the scale of these comparisons is admittedly uneven, the virtue of caring for one’s mental health, even at the risk of causing social friction, remains the same.
Media Accessiblilty or Entitlement?
Before withdrawing from the tournament, Osaka discussed the aforementioned mental drain that athletes experience during press conferences. In the following quote, she particularly focuses on how the media disregards the emotional state of athletes in the questionable pursuit of journalism:
I’ve watched many clips of athletes breaking down after a loss in a press room and I know you have as well. I believe that whole situation is kicking a person while they’re down and I don’t understand the reasoning behind it…
…However, if the organizations think that they can just keep saying “do press or you’re gonna be fired”, 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. xoxo
-Naomi Osaka
Professional athletes have resisted mandatory press conferences in their own way. An oft-cited moment is that of NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, who repeatedly answered “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” during Super Bowl Media Day back in 2015, Marshawn was previously fined upwards of $50,000 for refusing to talk to the press during previous NFL seasons.
Imagine if, at your job, you and your colleagues were thrust into an interview with Human Resources for every decision you made while at work. Imagine if you were forced under the threat of docked pay or termination to give a play-by-play of “what was going through your mind” when you forgot a document, flubbed a meeting, or had another mishap. Personally speaking, I would find it demoralizing and unproductive.
Yet when it comes to sports media conferences, organizations insist that it’s necessary for the sake of insight and discussion about how the sport can be improved. But if the purpose is truly that altruistic, why is it mandatory? Why must athletes be penalized for declining to participate in events that have nothing to do with the sport they love to play?
Summary
At the core of this debate is the issue of mental health and media-related performance. We also should take note of which organizations and corporations actually do advocate for mental health, as opposed to simply offering convenient platitudes.
For example, the sleep/meditation app Calm has not only committed to donating $15,000 to Laureus Sport, a community sports NPO, but has also offered to pay the hefty fine of any athlete who opts out of media appearances during the French Open. Moreover, each paid fine will be matched by an additional donation to Laureus Sport.
It’s in this author’s opinion that Naomi Osaka was caught in a catch-22 not only as an athlete but as a Black woman as well. Had she given a less-than-optimal interview, or become emotional after being pressed with inane and insensitive questions, society-at-large would have demeaned her. This is exactly what happened to Osaka’s idol Serena Williams after that fateful US Open finals match three years prior.
Though it may be helpful to analyze and pontificate about other options Osaka had, it would be even more beneficial to apply this situation to our own lives, and see how we can best establish personal boundaries, even if it inconveniences others.
