Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open eight weeks ago because of depression. She did not want to face the media anymore after alluding to her mental health issues on multiple occasions.
It was apparent throughout her past interviews that Osaka never wanted to be in the spotlight. But, her elite tennis ability propelled her to the forefront of the media. After dropping from the French Open, the media demonized her.
However, Osaka spoke with the media following her first-round match at the Tokyo Olympics. Nobody knew if she would make herself available for media attention. But, she stood in center court with media outlets in her face after her dominating victory.
Naomi Osaka Talks After the Match
Osaka spoke on the court with three major media companies, including NBC, after her first-round match. She then reported to a separate area after the match and answered questions from various international media outlets.
The tennis star seemed nervous, but she stayed composed throughout the interviews. Naomi Osaka answered the questions like a champion. Many of the outlets she spoke with villainized Osaka following the French Open. This was not an easy situation.
Osaka took questions in English and Japanese, but she only answered in English. In a recent Netflix documentary, it was revealed that Osaka speaks Japanese with her mother and sister. However, she is afraid of pronunciation errors, so she does not answer questions in person in Japanese.
Media was Shocked
It was a pleasant surprise that Osaka fielded questions from the media. On Saturday, when the match occurred, nobody knew what her intentions were following the match. It seems like the past eight weeks away from the spotlight have been suitable for the tennis star.
After resisting interviews in Paris, it became obvious that Osaka was struggling. In the French Open, she revealed before the tournament that she would not engage in post-match interviews. This was followed by her dropping from the competition when all the Grand Slam commissions threatened to punish her if she did not abide by tournament policies.
Osaka had some notable statements with the media following the match. She said, “I don’t feel that weird about it. It might feel weird to you guys, but I’m happy that, I guess, you guys are asking me questions. But more than anything, I was just focused on playing tennis, and I feel a little bit out of my body right now.”
Naomi Osaka, who is 23 years of age, was born in Osaka, Japan. This is 310 miles west of Tokyo, where the games are occurring. She moved to the United States as a toddler, but she represents Japan in international competitions.
Lighting the Flame
She lit the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony on Friday. Osaka did not know if she wanted to accept this offer, but she was proud that she was asked to do such a massive responsibility.
She spoke about this moment with the media and reiterated how proud she was to light the flame. Osaka is the second seed in the women’s tournament, but the new favorite after Sara Sorribes Tormo, the #1 seed, couldn’t snatch the win.
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