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Tennis-Osaka earns support after announcing break from sport

Published 09/04/2021, 12:27 PM
Updated 09/04/2021, 03:40 PM
© Reuters. Sep 3, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan gestures after missing a shot against Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada (not pictured) on day five of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credi

© Reuters. Sep 3, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan gestures after missing a shot against Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada (not pictured) on day five of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credi

By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retired athletes voiced their support for four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka on Saturday after she said she would take a break from tennis having lost her enthusiasm for competition.

The world number three suffered a stunning defeat in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday before tearfully telling reporters she planned to take an indefinite break from the sport.

"I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief," said Japan's Osaka, months after publicly disclosing that she had suffered from depression.

"Take all the time you need to recover, rest, and heal, @naomiosaka," 12-time Grand Slam singles champion Billie Jean King wrote on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) on Saturday. "Sending you love and support."

Retired American tennis player James Blake applauded her decision.

"Please do what is best for you @naomiosaka," he said on social media. "We want to see your extraordinary tennis again, but more importantly, we want to see you happy."

Six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker responded to Blake in a quote retweet: "That's right."

The 23-year-old has ushered in a new conversation around mental health in professional sport after she dropped out of the French Open amid a public row over mandatory press conferences at the Grand Slam, saying they took too great a toll on her mental wellbeing.

Osaka's influence extends far beyond the court, as she brought the Black Lives Matter protest to tennis' international platform a year ago, becoming a leading figure for athlete advocacy in the process.

© Reuters. Sep 3, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Naomi Osaka of Japan gestures after missing a shot against Leylah Annie Fernandez of Canada (not pictured) on day five of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

"Good decision. Young, trying to figure out life, how to win consistently, and as a huge celebrity athlete is hard! Trying to also be a change maker too. Exponentially harder!" four-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Michael Johnson wrote on Twitter.

"If there was ever a need for an athlete to step away, this is it."

Latest comments

We all go through something, move on get over it. Stop being drama queens.
She might have won some grand slams but shes a weak loser in my world.
I suffered metal breakdown for a long time while earning min wage. I think all of us do. Nobody is there for us. We have to fight thru this s#. Have to fight thru poverty n mental. Making millions n have all the ‘support’, life must be good.
Money does not bring happiness; you should know that
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