Naomi Osaka thanked Meghan Markle for her support
No. 1 WTA tennis player Naomi Osaka returned to the reasons that prompted her to withdraw from the Roland-Garros tournament on May 31. The tennis champion took the opportunity to thank Meghan Markle for her message of support.
“I hope people can understand that it is normal not to be well and that it is normal to talk about it”, entrusted the Japanese player in this long text. Suffering from social anxiety, the young 23-year-old athlete preferred to “preserve her mental health” by withdrawing from the Roland Garros tournament in May, no longer supporting the fact of speaking in public at press conferences. ”A position that had earned him criticism and a fine.
The support of many personalities
This painful episode did not leave the Duchess of Sussex indifferent, as Naomi Osaka testifies in the tribune. ”I want to thank those who (..) supported me, encouraged me and offered such kind words. Michelle Obama, Michael Phelps, Steph Curry, Novak Djokovic, Meghan Markle, to name a few. ”
It must be said that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are particularly sensitive to questions related to psychology, and do not hesitate to confide in their own difficulties. In March, the Duchess of Sussex, pregnant with Archie, revealed to have had dark thoughts, until “thinking of suicide”. In an Armchair Expert podcast broadcast in May, Harry had confided in him about his consultations with the psychologist, related to the traumas of his past.
In collaboration with the host Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry is also at the initiative of a documentary series entitled “The Me You Can’t See” on the theme of Mental Health. The couple also created “Archewell Foundation”, with the aim of sharing tips for tackling depressive disorders.
Back to Tokyo for the Olympics
“After taking the last few weeks to recharge my batteries and spend time with my loved ones, I have had time to reflect, but also to move forward.”
Absent from the Wimbledon tournament, Naomi Osaka ensures that she will be back on the court, at the Tokyo Olympics, to defend the colors of her country.
But for the next tournaments, Naomi Osaka offers some suggestions. “My # 1 suggestion would be to allow a small number of ‘sick days’ per year where you are exempt from your press commitments without having to disclose your personal reasons. I think this would bring sport into line with the rest of society, ”she wrote in the column published by Time.
In the meantime, we can find it from July 16 on Netflix, in a three-episode documentary entitled “Naomi Osaka”. The series offers an intimate look at the life of the young player. Without filter, the champion tells about her childhood in Haiti, where her father is from, of her victories and defeats and her doubts.
