Naomi Osaka gets support from her sponsors Nike, Nissan & Mastercard after her withdrawal from French Open 2021
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Naomi Osaka appearing in a Nike ad
Naomi Osaka‘s withdrawal from the French Open 2021 before her 2nd round match has been one of the heavily debated topic globally.
Naomi had made her intentions clear of not attending press conferences this year to protect herself from the media criticism about her poor record on Clay and stay in a positive mind frame during her run at the Grand Slam this year.
While this infuriated many around the globe for “poor sportsmanship” by the Japanese player, she was asked by the Grand Slams to attend the press conferences or will have to pay heavy fines which was eventually charged after she did not appear after her round 1 victory and agreed to pay the $15,000 fine which she hoped to donate to charity for mental health awareness.
Naomi Osaka announced her withdrawal via her Twitter handle
However, before her 2nd round match she withdrew her name from the tournament announcing her decision through her official twitter handle. She revealed having had mental issues from 2018 and needed time away from the sport for her mental well being as she has a long way to go being just 23-year old.
This again sparked a great deal of controversy with many calling it attention grabbing stunts while many sympathised with her for being strong and winning all of her Grand Slams battling her depression and anxiety. While many sponsors do not involve themselves with the controversies of their athletes, Naomi received support from nearly all her sponsors.
Nike who has partnered with Naomi since 2019 released a statement supporting her decision and wished for her speedy recovery. “Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience,” Nike said.
Nissan, the Japanese automobile company, also backed Osaka. “We support the right of our ambassadors to express themselves and stand by her decision,” the company said via a released statement.
“Naomi Osaka’s decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being,” Mastercard said in their statement. “We support her and admire her courage to address important issues, both on and off the court.“
French Open sponsors Rolex, Engie and Infosys decline to comment on Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal
Many of the sponsors of Naomi Osaka released statements supporting her decision and wishing for her well being as she battles her mental issues.
Sweetgreen, a US restaurant chain in which Osaka recently became an investor and is also their brand ambassador said, “Our partnership with Naomi is rooted in wellness in all its forms. We support her in furthering the conversation around mental health and are proud to have her as part of the Sweetgreen team.“
“Naomi is going through difficult times and we truly hope to see her back soon. She is a great champion and we are convinced that she will come out of this period stronger, be it professionally or personally,” said TAG Heuer who have been in partnership with Naomi from 2021.
While she received support from her sponsors, French Open sponsors namely Rolex, Engie and Infosys refused to comment about the drama that has happened in the past week. Rolex is the official timekeeper at the French Open while Engie is the green electricity provider at the tournament. Infosys is the digital innovation partner at the Grand Slam.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)