i never wanted to be a distraction. osaka says she s suffered long bouts of depression since winning the us open three years ago, and she gets huge waves of anxiety before speaking to the media. now she says she s taking time away. osaka chose not to speak to the press, she said, to preserve her mental health. tennis authorities had fined her and threatened disqualification. now some feel the sport could learn lessons. had the organisers known that she was suffering from depression, would they have gone out so strongly with a statement? probably not. i think saying that she was potentially going to be defaulted was always quite strong and maybe unnecessary. but here we are. and i think it s a real disappointment for the tournament that she s had to withdraw, but also for herself that she s been dealing with this for so long and no one knew. last night, serena williams spoke out. she s just won the tournament s first night match. but she feels this
sports out there as one of the big sports out there for people as one of the big sports out there for people to watch, we need the whole for people to watch, we need the whole press and the media and the players whole press and the media and the players to whole press and the media and the players to work together. last ni . ht, players to work together. last night, serena players to work together. last night, serena williams spoke out. she had just won the tournament s first night match but she feels this has cast a shadow. i first night match but she feels this has cast a shadow. first night match but she feels this has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i wish has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i wish i has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i wish i could has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i wish i could give - has cast a shadow. i feel for naomi, i feel like i wish
unnecessary, but here we are. and i think it is a real disappointment for the tournament that she has had to withdraw, but also for herself, that she has been dealing with this for so long and no one knew. i do remember being in floods of tears in some press conferences, but as a much older women, life is in a very different place, i have been able to put sport into some sort of context. if she could try and shift her mindset into understanding how the press fits with the sport to be able to promote it. if we want tennis to keep going as one of the big sports out there for people to watch, we need the whole press and the media and the players to work together. last night, serena williams spoke out. she had just won the tournament s first night match but she feels this has cast a shadow. ifeel for naomi, ifeel like i wish i could give her a hug because i know what it s like. i ve been in those positions. everyone is different and everyone handles things differently, so, you know, you
now some feel the sport could learn lessons. had the organisers known that she was suffering from depression, would they have gone out so strongly with a statement? probably not. i think saying that she was potentially going to be defaulted was always quite strong and maybe unnecessary. but here we are. and i think it s a real disappointment for the tournament that she s had to withdraw, but also for herself that she s been dealing with this for so long and no one knew. iremember being i remember being in floods of tears and press i remember being in floods of tears and press conferences but life is in and press conferences but life is in a much and press conferences but life is in a much different place as an older woman a much different place as an older woman i a much different place as an older woman. i have been able to put sport into context woman. i have been able to put sport into context. if she could shift her context into context. if she could shift her context in
shift her mindset into understanding how the press fits with the sport to be able to promote it, if we want tennis to keep going as one of the big sports out there for people to watch, we need the whole press and the media and the players to work together. last night, serena williams spoke out. she had just won the tournament s first night match but she feels this has cast a shadow. ifeel for naomi, ifeel like i wish i could give her a hug because i know what it s like. i ve been in those positions. everyone is different and everyone handles things differently, so, you know, you just have to let her handle the way she wants to. the french tennis federation said they were sorry and sad for naomi osaka, and that they are committed to athletes well being. this came about from osaka not wanting to talk, but now, her and the sport will look for dialogue, as tennis tries to repair things with one of its greatest stars. joe lynskey, bbc news.