Naomi Osaka’s mental health saga already dominated the French Open in May 2021. After the four-time Grand Slam winner dropped out of Wimbledon, too, it’s further shining a light on an important issue. Osaka has been candid about her everyday experience with her mental health since she burst onto the scene. Now, something she said about her inherent shyness is further demonstrating why she struggles sometimes.
Naomi Osaka’s rise in the tennis world
Osaka first made headlines in major publications like The New York Times after her dominant performance at Indian Wells leading up to her iconic win over idol Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open. Osaka was a teenager who was still figuring out what life was like as a professional athlete. After winning the Indian Wells Open, her humility and shyness showed as she struggled to find words post-victory.
It was made only more awkward after beating Williams in an awkward final where the line judges became the story of her first Grand Slam win. With Williams on her side, Osaka listened to the crowd boo the outcome, although Williams made sure that they also paid respects to Osaka. Now a four-time champion, Osaka has had time to find her voice, from her outspoken activism to her willingness to stand her ground.
Looking back at early wins, such as this WTA profile about her 2018 performance at Beijing, shows 2021 audiences how the prodigy has changed since her early days.
The shy superstar
“The French Open’s decision to antagonize Osaka and double down on their decision-making goes to show how little these establishments care about their players,” Arts and Culture Editor @Ryan_Hardison1 writes. https://t.co/Ce9n1JmwlO
— The Daily Aztec (@TheDailyAztec) July 2, 2021
Osaka opened up with CNN in 2020 about her attempts to combat her inherent shyness. Citing a desire to not step on toes or seem brash, she spoke about how shyness was not always a sign of weakness. Seeing how she was still portrayed, 2020 was a time of realization for the up-and-coming superstar.
“I’m done being shy. It’s really a waste of my time,” she tweeted in May of 2020. “I could’ve shared so many ideas by now, I could’ve had convos with so many different people. All the things I could’ve learned but no I’m over here actually putting my own limiter on myself.”
The work doesn’t just involve her off-the-court work. Osaka also spent the last few years working on how her mental health affected her mid-match. From falling into mental traps and causing unforced errors to imposter syndrome kicking in on the biggest stage, Osaka had to learn what this all meant.
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