By Hannatu Jun, 18, 2021 Private

Tennis star, Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Wimbledon championships set to hold this month. According to her agent, this decision was due to personal reasons but assured that she would be available for the Tokyo Olympics which is set to kick off in July.

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open last month following her first-round victory after she was fined $15,000 by organizers and threatened expulsion from the tournament when she refused to attend mandatory post-match press conferences.

The Japan-born star explained that she suffered from "social anxiety", adding that the media's line of questioning after matches negatively impacted her mental well-being.

"Naomi won't be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans," Osaka's agent said in a mail.

Organizers of Wimbledon, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), in a statement, said that Osaka would be greatly missed at the Grand Slam.

"We completely understand her decision," the AELTC statement read. "We wish her a happy time with her friends and family and look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year."

Earlier this month, Osaka pulled out of a WTA 500 grasscourt tournament held in Berlin and was supposed to serve as a pre-run for the Grand Slam. After that, there already was speculation about her participation at Wimbledon.

She had announced in a build-up to the French Open that she would not face the media and impressively kept to her word.

Not even a stern letter from the board of the Grand Slam tournament, threatening expulsion from future majors and Roland Garros, could change her mind. World number two announced her withdrawal on social media afterward.

Naomi Osaka's withdrawal and mental health concerns triggered support for the star from athletes and fellow tennis stars. Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, sprint champion Usain Bolt, and star twins Venus and Serena Williams, were among those who expressed support for her. 

The support Osaka received, also translated to criticism which was thrown at the organizers of the French Open. In the end, the organizers accepted that more attention needs to be paid to mental health issues.

Tags: Naomi Osaka

Share On Facebook Twitter Linkedin Whatsapp Telegram