Naomi Osaka Thanks Michelle Obama & Meghan Markle For Supporting Her Through Mental Health Issues

Naomi Osaka quit the French Open on the basis that she did not want to talk to the media after her matches. The decision is something that she had informed tournament officials of, way before her first match. Still, she got fined for not showing up to the press conference and hence decided to quit. The more she said she didn't want to talk the more media coverage she got.

Today the tennis star published an essay in TIME magazine where she discussed her struggles and thanked many people in the public eye for supporting her.

Osaka titled the essay "It's O.K. not to be O.K.". Then she headlined the piece with a line that reads,

"In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons."

The essay then details the different lessons that the tennis star learned over this whole frenzy that was generated when she raised concerns over her personal mental health. It's safe to say that not all of the voices in the media that spoke on the matter were supportive.

One of the biggest points that people brought up against Osaka's decision to step away from top-tier tournaments was the fact that she was drawing more attention to herself by doing that than competing on the court. Many of these counter-arguments centered around the fact that what she was doing could potentially bring more stress to her personal life. She addressed these arguments saying that she never had beef with the press. Her issue is that she doesn't like the way that press conferences are conducted. She mentioned,

"The first is the press. This was never about the press, but rather the traditional format of the press conference. I’ll say it again for those at the back: I love the press; I do not love all press conferences."

Just as she had her haters like Piers Morgan, there were potentially even more people that came out and supported Osaka. She thanked her family for the support. Then went on to name a few of the celebs and athletes that supported her through the ordeal. Many of the names on the list may surprise some people. She led off by writing,

" I also want to thank those in the public eye who have supported, encouraged and offered such kind words" while then presenting a list that included, "Michelle Obama, Michael Phelps, Steph Curry, Novak Djokovic, Meghan Markle, to name a few."

It's clear that Osaka doesn't hate the media at all. Not only because she blatantly said so. Also, because in the past 24 hours she's been on center stage for two major media releases if you will. Of course, the essay in TIME magazine that we've been referencing is the most telling part of her return to the spotlight. After all, in it, she pours her feelings out. She's also the star of a new promo video for the Tokyo Olympics. This is an event that she does not plan on skipping by any means. As we've mentioned the media spotlight will very much shine on her in the upcoming games. Perhaps brighter than on any other athlete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj58sgmvulw