Naomi Osaka makes her most powerful statement yet

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Good morning, Broadsheet readers! China tries to engineer a baby boom, the founder of ‘womenomics’ starts her own firm, and Naomi Osaka drops out of the French Open. Have a terrific Tuesday!

– Walking away. Naomi Osaka this weekend withdrew from the French Open and said she would take some time “away from the court,” citing her mental health. It was the unfortunate end to a controversy that unraveled quickly over the weekend.

Last week, Osaka said she would not participate in media interviews during the Grand Slam tournament, arguing that repetitive questions and those that sowed doubt in her mind were taking a toll.

When Osaka followed through on her vow and skipped a news conference after her opening-round win, the French Open fined her $15,000 for breaking her “contractual media obligations.”

Osaka then announced she was dropping out of the tournament altogether—”so everyone can get back to focusing on [tennis]”—and disclosed that she’d suffered bouts of depression since winning the U.S. Open in 2018.

Osaka’s decision received mixed reactions from other players on the tour. Most said that talking to the media is part of the job and that they benefited from press recognition. But many agreed that the media spotlight is a test of an athlete’s mental fitness.

“I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it’s like,” Serena Williams said. “I’m thick (skinned). Other people are thin. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently.”

Osaka characterizes herself as a reluctant star. But once she earned her enormous platform via Grand Slam wins, she overcame that reluctance to use her platform to call for racial justice and social change, famously sporting masks with the names of seven Black Americans killed by police at the U.S. Open. In an era of heightened athlete activism, she stood out as one of the most outspoken, if not with words then certainly with symbolism.

The combination of advocacy and authenticity and athletic prowess and—yes—press coverage resonated with sponsors, from Nike to Levi’s to Sweetgreen. Osaka earned an estimated $37.4 million last year, the most of any female athlete ever.

Even as a self-proclaimed introvert, Osaka wielded her influence masterfully, but it certainly shocked the sports world that one of her most powerful statements thus far—about her well-being and mental health—was to walk away.

Claire Zillman
[email protected]
@clairezillman

The Broadsheet, Coins2Day’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women, is coauthored by Kristen Bellstrom, Emma Hinchliffe, and Claire Zillman. Today’s edition was curated by Claire Zillman.

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