‘I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells,’ Naomi Osaka seeks professional help a year after ‘dirty’ French Open drama
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Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is one of the biggest names in women’s tennis currently. Until the 2021 Australian Open, she was the walk-in favorite in any tournament she played but ever since the French Open last year, things haven’t been easy for Osaka. The Japanese, who generally struggles on clay, decided that she won’t be doing press conferences at Roland Garros. And after a lot of backlashes, she withdrew from the tournament citing mental health.
The incident damaged Naomi mentally to an extent that she had to take a long break from tennis. Her game too was affected by it as she slipped out of the top 80 on the WTA Ranking. The Japanese superstar has time and again kept her mental health as her priority and has even vocalized the importance of a ‘peaceful mind’.
After her first-round victory over Astra Sharma, Naomi spoke about her mental health in the press conference and revealed that she has finally started seeing a therapist after her Indian Wells loss. She said that her sister Mari was concerned about her and suggested that a therapist might help her.
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells. It only took like a year after French Open. Yeah, I don’t know, she kind of like told me strategies and stuff. I realize how helpful it is,” she said.
Naomi Osaka desperate to find lost form in Miami
Naomi defeated Astra Sharma in the first round in straight sets 6-3,6-4. She looked very promising in the match and dropped just 3 points on serve in the first set. She will now face 13th seed Angelique Kerber in the second round on Thursday in a blockbuster clash between two multiple grand slam champions.
If Naomi wins, she will face either Leylah Fernandez or Karolina Muchova in the third round. But if Naomi loses, she is projected to drop to No.96 in the WTA Rankings.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2595 Articles Published)