Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open over media boycott row

Naomi Osaka. Pic/ PTI

Naomi Osaka, 23, said on Monday she was withdrawing from the French Open following the bitter fall-out from her decision to boycott all media activity at the Grand Slam event.

"The best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris," World No.2 wrote on Twitter.

The Japanese star was fined USD 15,000 on Sunday and threatened with disqualification after she refused to carry out a mandatory news conference following her first-round win.

She claimed on the eve of Roland Garros that such post-match inquests were akin to "kicking people when they are down" and that they had a detrimental effect on her mental health.

"I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer," the four-time Grand Slam title winner said in her statement.

"The truth is I have suffered bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that." She added: "In Paris, I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences.

"I announced it preemptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that."

Earlier, Osaka's coach said she is using her superstar status to force change with her controversial media boycott at the French Open.

"Naomi has the opportunity to use her status to address problems and to initiate things," Osaka's Belgian coach Wim Fissette told German magazine Der Spiegel.

"In the United States, the subject is very topical at the moment, as athletes want more freedom in dealing with the press.

"So that they are simply not threatened right away with punishment if they don't feel well for a day."

Fissette also insisted Osaka "knows it's important to talk to the press" and is not boycotting the media "for herself alone", but is "concerned with fundamental issues - she wants to bring about change."

Meanwhile tennis legend Martina Navratilova showed her support for Naomi Osaka on social media saying that she is 'sad about Naomi Osaka'. Navratilova also said that this is more than just 'doing or not doing press conferences.' Take a look at her post below.

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