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Naomi Osaka, at the 2021 edition of the Roland Garros, decided to not attend the press conference due to her mental health due to her not having a good time and therefore she was not ready to face questions from reporters "The organizers ignore the mental health of the athletes," she had declared in an interview before the tournament to justify her decision.
After this period, the Japanese had decided to take a break to recharge the batteries due to the fact that she had suffered from depression and panic attacks after winning her first slam. Her 2022 was therefore far from interviews and spotlights with the tennis player who partially climbed the slope of the ranking to 42nd position.
Naomi, after a long time, came back to speak and she did so on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "I felt it was necessary, but at that moment I felt a bit embarrassed because as an athlete they tell you to be strong and to overcome everything, but I think I've learned that it is better to regroup and adapt the feelings you have in that moment so that you can come back stronger.
I wouldn't have wanted anything else because I learned a lot in that period."
Naomi Osaka comes back to talk about her mental health issue
Furthermore, the Japanese player said that the change in mindset occurred during the Tokyo Olympics, where she saw many athletes she knew and admired concerned about her situation, which made her realize that she was not alone.
She added: "I remained my house for a while after it all happened. But then I went to the Olympics and there were so many athletes who approached me and I was really surprised and honored because these are people I see on TV and I like, I felt really grateful and supported." For Osaka, this break was fundamental: "I have always been taught to resist or overcome it, and I think it is a very valuable lesson because she has helped me overcome many things in life.
But there was a moment when I said to myself: "Why?" And not in a bad way, but if I feel like this, why should I keep moving forward, when I can face it and fix it and then continue on with my journey?"