Japanese tennis champion Naomi Osaka was fined $15,000 after she announced she would not speak to the press during the French Open, saying she was prioritizing her mental health.
The U.S. Tennis Association, the French Tennis Federation, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, and Tennis Australia announced the fine in a joint statement Sunday, saying Osaka “chose not to honour her contractual media obligations.”
Osaka wrote in a social media statement last Wednesday that she would not participate in press-related interviews for the tournament because she “often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health.”
“We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt in our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me,” the four-time Grand Slam singles champion added.
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Osaka added her decision was not a personal vendetta against the tournament but was an independent decision she made to avoid being subject to questions that may cause her to doubt her performance.
Leaders for the Grand Slam said they jointly warned Osaka of the potential consequences she would face for not complying with the rules, according to the New York Times.
“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs or achievement,” the statement said. “As a sport 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 honour their commitments.”
Her decision was met with support by fans and celebrities following her announcement, including daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who wrote on Twitter, “Sending you so much love and support.”
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Osaka predicted she would be penalized for her decision in her post on Wednesday and said she “hope[d] the considerable amount that [she] get[s] fined for this will go towards a mental health charity.”
The Washington Examiner contacted the USTA but did not immediately receive a response.
