If you’ve ever cared for someone suffering from mental illness, Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open probably made your breath catch. You understand the anguish behind the decision. Certainly you want to reach across the miles to pat her on the back for her bravery in drawing attention to a subject others prefer to ignore.
For those who missed the announcement or know little about tennis, let me catch you up. Osaka is a superstar, ranked No. 2 in women’s tennis, a four-time Grand Slam champion, and the highest-paid female athlete in the world. She’s also 23, and has spoken out about suffering from depression and social anxiety, two conditions that must be difficult to navigate when you’re in the spotlight.
After her first-round victory in Paris, she decided to skip the obligatory press conference and issued a statement that she wouldn’t be fielding media questions for the remaining time at the tournament. Organizers fined her $15,000, a paltry sum considering what the athlete makes. Nonetheless it was a reminder of what was expected of her. They also threatened to disqualify her.
Osaka then did what so many of us should do when our health — mental or physical — is in jeopardy. She took a courageous stand that, I hope, will be noted by employers and workers everywhere. She walked away. She quit. She took her racket and her star power and withdrew from the tournament.
In a poignant tweet, she explained that she has “suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018.” She also admitted to “huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media. I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try to engage and give you the best answers I can.”
She felt bad about feeling bad, too: “I wanna apologize especially to all the cool journalists who I may have hurt.”
That noise you’re hearing? It’s me cheering Osaka’s transparency, a rare event when it comes to talking about the debilitating effects of mental illness. And those “attagirls” I’m shouting at the top of my lungs? They’re for Osaka prioritizing what is truly important.
Unfortunately, not everyone sees mental health as a top concern. The tone-deaf tournament administrators claimed, “There is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honor their commitments.”
And while many supported Osaka on social media, others mocked her, telling her to “suck it up” and to stop being a highly compensated princess. Which is yet more proof of the public’s ignorance of mental health.
If Osaka had withdrawn because of a physical injury, I’m sure those derisive comments would’ve never been uttered. Want proof? Petra Kvitová, the Czech champion, withdrew from the very same French Open for an ankle injury a day after Osaka’s announcement. No one appeared to give her lip. The irony of it all is that this injury, which required an MRI, didn’t happen on the court but after a post-match press conference.
During this past pandemic year, two women I know voluntarily left their jobs because of depression and anxiety. One quit, the other took a sabbatical. Both are young; both are smart and hard-working. That wasn’t enough. Being good at a job, fulfilling its requirements, doesn’t inoculate one from injuries, mental or physical.
Maybe Osaka’s withdrawal will focus attention on health in the workplace. After all, mental illness isn’t left at home when a worker clocks in. It’s always there, at the desk as well as in the living room. I also hope the tennis star’s determined act of self-care launches hard and honest conversations on how much we truly owe our employers and how much we’re willing to give up for the sake of a paycheck. No amount of money justifies forsaking your peace.
On my side of the court, #IStandWithNaomiOsaka.
Ana Veciana-Suarez writes about family and social issues. Email her at avecianasuarez@gmail.com or visit her website anavecianasuarez.com. Follow @AnaVeciana.