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The Optimist


ATP qualifying

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RE: Naomi Osaka
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I feel for Naomi if she has been suffering from depression.  It has many forms and none are pleasant.  However, she is a very high-profile, successful and highly paid athlete, and as such has a coach, agent etc etc to organise everything which goes along with that position.  If facing a room of journalists is more terrifying for her than any opponent on court (and many find that sort of situation hard) and triggers her illness, then that support team have a job to do.  To allow her to refuse, via twitter, to perform a mandatory function (which all other players would have to go through) almost on the eve of the tournament is beyond poor on their part.  Of course the tournament will take it in the worst possible way.  And especially if she then refuses to discuss the matter with them until the tournament is over.  A competent team would have been speaking to the organisers and the WTA in advance, explaining the situation, asking whether she could just have a few key journalists in, whether there could be time limits on the conferences, whether she could have some support staff with her etc etc.  The grand slams and the WTA would not want to lose her from the sport or be accused of exacerbating their star's mental health problems but they can't be seen to give preferential treatment to an elite player as a result of a twitter statement.



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junior


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Just a bit of context: English footballers being interviewed after matches/tournaments when being racially abused after the result, and Conor McGregor being interviewed from the floor after breaking his ankle during a fight, even before receiving medical attention.

And Noemi doesn't want to be interviewed after she loses, however during time she was mentally unfit to play does Vogue, Nike photoshoots, Netflix Documentary and Barbie deals.

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christ


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junior wrote:

Just a bit of context: English footballers being interviewed after matches/tournaments when being racially abused after the result, and Conor McGregor being interviewed from the floor after breaking his ankle during a fight, even before receiving medical attention.

And Noemi doesn't want to be interviewed after she loses, however during time she was mentally unfit to play does Vogue, Nike photoshoots, Netflix Documentary and Barbie deals.

 You are right: footballers and UFC fighters shouldn't have to go through that ordeal. Well done to Ms Osaka for standing up for them.



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junior


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For them or for her own ego? Can't say personally that her actions show any intention of representing "all athletes" because if they did, one would argue she wouldn't think herself above them all to not have to do interviews, lead by example?

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Armchair


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I think this is one of those scenarios where we'll be better able to work it out when we look back at how everything pans out.
I'm not happy that Osaka seems to have mastered her nerves for lots of media things that she likes, but can't cope with the pressers.
I absolutely support people looking after their mental health, but I'm uncomfortable when that becomes conflated with not doing the bits you just don't really like very much.

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christ


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Is it compulsory for the person that lights the olympic flame do press interviews?

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SuperT


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I find all this criticism of Naomi very sad. It's what you expect to find on Twitter but thankfully it's rare on this forum.

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Coup Droit


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SuperT wrote:

I find all this criticism of Naomi very sad. It's what you expect to find on Twitter but thankfully it's rare on this forum.

 Criticism or critique? 

I think that critical analysis is vital.

And that is what practically everyone is doing on this forum.

Some here support Naomi in her decisions re publicity, some don't (including me).  

But both are equally valid and there's nothing 'sad' about it. 



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SuperT


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Coup Droit wrote:
SuperT wrote:

I find all this criticism of Naomi very sad. It's what you expect to find on Twitter but thankfully it's rare on this forum.

 Criticism or critique? 

I think that critical analysis is vital.

And that is what practically everyone is doing on this forum.

Some here support Naomi in her decisions re publicity, some don't (including me).  

But both are equally valid and there's nothing 'sad' about it. 

 Sorry CD.  I'm sure much of it is fair critique and I would hate to offend you personally.  But I just read through the thread and a lot of it felt quite snide comments and somehow different from the normal tone of the forum.  I expect it's just me suffering from heat! 



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Christine


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I think it is very difficult for people who do not suffer mental health issues to recognise how debilitating it can be and how this can change from day to day and how in public we can appear fine, but underneath things are very different. I think this is where some of the negativity comes from.

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Coup Droit


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SuperT wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
SuperT wrote:

I find all this criticism of Naomi very sad. It's what you expect to find on Twitter but thankfully it's rare on this forum.

 Criticism or critique? 

I think that critical analysis is vital.

And that is what practically everyone is doing on this forum.

Some here support Naomi in her decisions re publicity, some don't (including me).  

But both are equally valid and there's nothing 'sad' about it. 

 Sorry CD.  I'm sure much of it is fair critique and I would hate to offend you personally.  But I just read through the thread and a lot of it felt quite snide comments and somehow different from the normal tone of the forum.  I expect it's just me suffering from heat! 

 It's certainly pretty stonking hot biggrin

And sorry too - I have nothing against Naomi, of course not, and would hate to think she is being nastily attacked by trolls and what have you.

But I do get very antsy when certain things, or people, seem to be 'untouchable' (NOT saying that's what you were saying at all! But there have been others who see every comment about her as being instantly sexist, racist, ageist, whatever, without actually considering the argument of the comments) 



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Armchair


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I'm not going to belittle anyones mental health issues, they are personally and professionally an ongoing process for me. I sincerely hope that Osaka is having good professional and social support to cope with her needs - her needs not that of her management or family.

But I do think it's fair to question the way she or her team approached it at the French Open, inviting much criticism and publicity without really giving RG or WTA the chance to accommodate her requests. Yes I am an old fart and don't think Twitter is the best method of negotiating a time in your life when you feel you're in crisis.

I fully accept that a career in the limelight is really not something that many people can cope with, but the scatter gun approach to dealing with publicity and pressure is concerning.
The pressure on Osaka in Japan is huge and comes with a big legacy of prejudice however the opening ceremony chose to portray the 'togetherness'.

Osaka is a tennis talent and I'd love to see her on the tour for years to come, but not at a cost that s too much for her to bear.






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junior


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I'm just waiting to see, should she not get the result she wants in a match if will she face the press and the pressure of millions of home fans disappointment who were likely expecting her to win

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GBJ


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Saw this thread on the recent posts this morning for the first time after not checking the forum for a while and and thought oh great people will celebrating how great it is to see Naomi lighting the Olympic flame. Was a little surprised no one seeing how great his is! Was it announced in advance? It was a surprise to me and actually made me feel pretty emotional for her. I think its great! (Im sure plenty of people here have much more considered opinions about it but that was my initial feeling after all that shes obviously struggling through).

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GBJ


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Also interesting that they seem to have changed the schedule for her. It didnt really get the initial scheduling that showed her as first on centre at the first time as another match on centre but this morning the bbc were saying they changed it cos of the torch lighting

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