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Post by Admin on Jun 3, 2021 12:57:06 GMT
#Greeny reacts to Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open Mike Greenberg reacts to Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open due to mental health reasons after being fined $15K for skipping mandatory media obligations. #Greeny
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Post by Admin on Jun 3, 2021 21:12:30 GMT
Top-ranked Ash Barty was forced to retire from her second-round match at the French Open on Thursday because of an injury. The 2019 champion trailed 6-1, 2-2 when she returned to her chair and signaled she was not able to continue against Polish rival Magda Linette on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Australian started the match with her left thigh bandaged and it was immediately clear she could not move properly. Too slow to chase her opponent’s shots, she suffered in long rallies and struggled with her first serve. Barty had called for a medical timeout at the end of the opening set, then briefly left the court for treatment. She stopped after Linette hit an ace. Barty then walked to the net to shake the 45th-ranked player’s hand. Barty’s exit comes after the No.2 seed Naomi Osaka withdrew from the tournament with controversy brewing over her media boycott. Defending champ and clay court specialist Iga Swiatek is the favorite to take home the women’s title. Dealing with a left hip problem, Barty had struggled through a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win against 70th-ranked American Bernarda Pera in the first round. She said afterward she was not fully healthy and would adopt a one-match-at-a-time approach.
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2021 2:31:49 GMT
Will Smith isn't mincing words. On June 3, the actor posted a message of support addressed to tennis pro Naomi Osaka after she withdrew from the French Open citing mental health concerns. Smith posted two photos featuring written message in black marker on white paper. The pages read, “Hey Naomi, You are right. They are wrong! I am with you.” He closed the simple statement with a heart and his signature, tagging Osaka and the French Open Instagram account in his post. Osaka announced on May 31 that she would withdraw from the French Open, citing her mental health. Prior to withdrawing, the 23-year-old tennis pro announced she would not participate in press for the tournament due to mental health concerns. As a result, she accrued a $15,000 for not talking to the media, according to a Roland-Garros statement. "I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” Osaka said in her May 31 statement. "I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. More importantly I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly. The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.” Referencing the mandate to speak to press or risk a fine, Osaka continued, “I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that… I'm gonna take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans." In the aftermath of her announcement, Osaka received a wave of support, including backing from Nike, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and more. Several news outlets and players have since credited Osaka with starting an important conversation about mental health in professional sports.
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2021 5:14:38 GMT
Naomi Osaka | "What's the endgame of this?" | BBC's David Law on what this means for tennis
Joe Molloy is joined on the line by BBC journalist David Law as we discuss Naomi Osaka, her withdrawal from the French Open and what it means for tennis going forward.
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Post by Admin on Jun 8, 2021 18:52:53 GMT
Gabby Douglas on Naomi Osaka's decision to withdraw from the French Open | Stephen A's World
On Stephen A's World, Gabby Douglas joins Stephen A. Smith to discuss Naomi Osaka and her own career in gymnastics. 0:00 On Naomi Osaka's decision to withdraw from the French Open. 1:53 Should athletes be obligated to speak to the media? 2:27 On London 2012 Olympics. 3:51 On dealing with adversity. 4:28 On the Tokyo Olympics.
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