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Naomi Osaka refusing post match interviews at French Open ...

RochLion

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Jun 3, 2001
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citing mental health concern. She says she'll accept the fines which are 15k per post-match interview. She made 50+ million so essentially a drop in the bucket for her. Link below has comments from Rafa and Swiatek saying they understand her side though the media is part of their job.

It's tough for tennis players since it's such an individual sport. The women's game is really thriving now and Osaka is right there at the top. It will be interesting how she handles this going into Wimbledon and the US Open.

Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game.

 
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citing mental health concern. She says she'll accept the fines which are 15k per post-match interview. She made 50+ million so essentially a drop in the bucket for her. Link below has comments from Rafa and Swiatek saying they understand her side though the media is part of their job.

It's tough for tennis players since it's such an individual sport. The women's game is really thriving now and Osaka is right there at the top. It will be interesting how she handles this going into Wimbledon and the US Open.

Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game.

Any blame her. The media drives me nuts, too.
 
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citing mental health concern. She says she'll accept the fines which are 15k per post-match interview. She made 50+ million so essentially a drop in the bucket for her. Link below has comments from Rafa and Swiatek saying they understand her side though the media is part of their job.

It's tough for tennis players since it's such an individual sport. The women's game is really thriving now and Osaka is right there at the top. It will be interesting how she handles this going into Wimbledon and the US Open.

Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game.


I hope professional tennis nips this in the bud.

It is part of the sport. And her being able to pay the fine is a have vs have not situation.

LdN
 
citing mental health concern. She says she'll accept the fines which are 15k per post-match interview. She made 50+ million so essentially a drop in the bucket for her. Link below has comments from Rafa and Swiatek saying they understand her side though the media is part of their job.

It's tough for tennis players since it's such an individual sport. The women's game is really thriving now and Osaka is right there at the top. It will be interesting how she handles this going into Wimbledon and the US Open.

Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game.

"Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game."

I believe it was after the Rose Bowl where we made Mark Sanchez a few extra $$ million by increasing his draft pick after his performance against our "defense". As much as we liked Joe, justified or not, his relations with the media was becoming increasingly adversarial. There were several stories of Joe acting like an a$$ at the 2005 Orange Bowl, too and ruffling a few feathers among the bowl execs and press, too. Regardless, he didn't deserve the media treatment at the end of 2011.
 
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citing mental health concern. She says she'll accept the fines which are 15k per post-match interview. She made 50+ million so essentially a drop in the bucket for her. Link below has comments from Rafa and Swiatek saying they understand her side though the media is part of their job.

It's tough for tennis players since it's such an individual sport. The women's game is really thriving now and Osaka is right there at the top. It will be interesting how she handles this going into Wimbledon and the US Open.

Of 35 years of watching PSU football I can only remember one game where JoePa packed up the team after a loss and skipped the post game interviews (accepting the Big 10 fines). Can't remember the game.

Pretty sure that it was the 2 seconds UM game in '05
 
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I’m not sure what her specific issues are (other than that the press will beat the sh*t out of a non-story to death) - guessing having to do with her Serena rivalry? She should come out, summarize her thoughts on the match, and leave. Having to sit there and stay silent or worse act like Marshawn Lynch is a losing look for any athlete.
 
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Pretty sure that it was the 2 seconds UM game in '05
Nope, my memory (see post above) was correct.

  • BCS Commissioners took "appropriate responsive actions" against Penn State for two media access contracts violations - failure to give pre-game interviews to ABC broadcasters and provide after-game locker room access.[6] Joe Paterno explained that he did not want the attention to be taken away from Pete Carroll, knowing that the questions would focus on his health.

 
You can empathize as much as you want, but im working overtime at 6A on a Holiday to MAYBE make 50k this year. I would be delighted and honored to talk to the media. If she states mental health as a reason for not doing so, then she better pack an extra diaper for the big matches. If you can't answer simple questions while making 50 million, I can't really help ya there sweetheart. Thoughts and prayers!
 
You can empathize as much as you want, but im working overtime at 6A on a Holiday to MAYBE make 50k this year. I would be delighted and honored to talk to the media. If she states mental health as a reason for not doing so, then she better pack an extra diaper for the big matches. If you can't answer simple questions while making 50 million, I can't really help ya there sweetheart. Thoughts and prayers!

I agree with your sentiment.

The part that really irked me with her initial statement is that she said she hopes her fines are contributed to charity. Which is total BS.

You pay the fine you dont get to say how it is spent.

LdN
 
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I agree with your sentiment.

The part that really irked me with her initial statement is that she said she hopes her fines are contributed to charity. Which is total BS.

You pay the fine you dont get to say how it is spent.

LdN

She could slide 1 mill out of her wallet and support charity any second of the day she wants. I hope she thinks about that while her chef makes her breakfast or while she flies on her private jet-those flights can get boring.
 
While I can empathize with her situation, they should kick her out instead of fining her. It is part of the deal of professional sports. You have to promote your sport and be available for the media. You can't just choose to play matches and that is it.

If she doesn't want to the interviews, she can find another profession where it isn't required.
 
She has panic attacks when she has to speak in front of people in certain scenarios. Did you ever see her after winning a major?

I am not sure she is just being a brat or anything.
 
Any blame her. The media drives me nuts, too.
She seems OK with some media

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I haven’t been following, but what has the press done to her in the past that has caused her mental health issues?
I believe at the Australian Open she was pressed pretty hard about her defeat of Serena this year. A lot of people, including the media, were pulling for Serena big time because she would have tied Margaret Court (a known racist) with 24 major titles by a woman. Serena went to tears after the loss, not because of that loss, but because she knows she's never going to get the record with Osaka in her way.
 
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I believe at the Australian Open she was pressed pretty hard about her defeat of Serena this year. A lot of people, including the media, were pulling for Serena big time because she would have tied Margaret Court (a known racist) with 24 major titles by a woman. Serena went to tears after the loss, not because of that loss, but because she knows she's never going to get the record with Osaka in her way.

Oh how will they ever recover!

LdN
 
She has panic attacks when she has to speak in front of people in certain scenarios. Did you ever see her after winning a major?

I am not sure she is just being a brat or anything.

Public speaking is a learned skill. One she can apply millions towards learning.

I think she is being truthful. However like I said tennis needs to say no. This is part of the sport.

LdN

LdN
 
I haven’t been following, but what has the press done to her in the past that has caused her mental health issues?
I don’t know all the specifics. One quote I’ve seen attributed to her about this was (paraphrasing) she doesn’t like people who ‘doubt’ her game as it disturbs her so she’s just not going to talk to them. She’s somehow tried to classify that into a ‘mental health’ issue. It seems more of a ‘I don’t like criticism’ issue.
 
Now most of the media is invasive and seeminly dense. How many times do you have to answer the same questions that are just phrased out differently. I feel like Gregg Popovich just listening to some of those idiots.

They weren't asking her questions recently. They were more being asses because she is taking Serena's crown.
 
Just announced on the TV coverage that Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open. Additional comments about suffering from depression and having a hard time dealing with press interactions.
 
Just announced on the TV coverage that Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open. Additional comments about suffering from depression and having a hard time dealing with press interactions.
I just watched most of her press conference after a loss in a tourney in April. Questions (at least the ones in English) were pretty benign and appropriate IMO. Osaka seemed nice enough- even keeled, complimenting her opponent, etc. She did seem rather meek and I thought almost a little fragile.
 
Just announced on the TV coverage that Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open. Additional comments about suffering from depression and having a hard time dealing with press interactions.
i expected Osaka to withdraw from the French Open or even announce she will not compete for the rest of 2021 after the others like Wimbledon stated that she would be disqualify from competing. They were trying to call her bluff. Good for Osaka for standing her ground. I hope she gets the help she needs.
 
I’m not sure what she expected to happen at the highest level of a professional sport. It’s not as though the press didn’t ask professional athletes dumb questions before she came along.
 
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Just announced on the TV coverage that Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open. Additional comments about suffering from depression and having a hard time dealing with press interactions.

I don't get it. It would have been awesome if she won and refused to do any interviews.
 
I’m not sure what she expected to happen at the highest level of a professional sport. It’s not as though the press didn’t ask professional athletes dumb questions before she came along.

It’s maybe less the actual media and more social media - see the response to her on court interview from the most recent Australian Open final. She made a small blunder and it was as big a story as her win.
 
I applaud the young woman for prioritizing her self-care and doing what was necessary for her mental health. The lack of empathy displayed by numerous posters here, while sad, is unsurprising. Despite it being 2021, widespread ignorance about depression and anxiety is more the norm than the exception in our society. Hopefully, we have made some progress in this area, but have a long way to go.
 
Why exactly do athletes have a “responsibility” to talk to the press?

Who made up that rule - the media?

I’ve just never understood that - the “media” is pretty much the root of all evil. They aren’t even “media” anymore imho.
 
Why exactly do athletes have a “responsibility” to talk to the press?

Who made up that rule - the media?

I’ve just never understood that - the “media” is pretty much the root of all evil. They aren’t even “media” anymore imho.
Generally speaking it’s their league or governing or sanctioning body of their sport. I can’t think of any professional sport where an individual athlete does not have a league, governing or sanctioning body.
 
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I applaud the young woman for prioritizing her self-care and doing what was necessary for her mental health. The lack of empathy displayed by numerous posters here, while sad, is unsurprising. Despite it being 2021, widespread ignorance about depression and anxiety is more the norm than the exception in our society. Hopefully, we have made some progress in this area, but have a long way to go.
Very well said
 
I applaud the young woman for prioritizing her self-care and doing what was necessary for her mental health. The lack of empathy displayed by numerous posters here, while sad, is unsurprising. Despite it being 2021, widespread ignorance about depression and anxiety is more the norm than the exception in our society. Hopefully, we have made some progress in this area, but have a long way to go.
It isn't lack of empathy. It is part of her job. If I told my employer, I don't like this aspect of my job that is in my job description or it is creating stress and negatively impacted my mental health so I can't do it, rest assured it would be deemed that I cannot perform in that position, which is true. I am saying that. Certain accommodations may be provided such as as counselling services, but inevitably I would be placed in another position. In effect, she is saying that she cannot fulfill her contractual obligations on the professional tennis tour. So, maybe she needs a break to care of yourself rather than having the stress of talking to the media after losing a tennis match.

So, how about Franklin saying that he is no longer going to talk to the media after a loss because it negatively impacts his mental health. Is that okay?
 
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Generally speaking it’s their league or governing or sanctioning body of their sport. I can’t think of any professional sport where an individual athlete does not have a league, governing or sanctioning body.
Don’t care who it is - just saying it doesn’t make sense!
 
Don’t care who it is - just saying it doesn’t make sense!

Without the media they don't have a sport that earns players millions.

It is that simple.

She can play tennis at home and have no media.

Want to play and earn millions? Well the media pays for that.

She withdrew. I am glad the pressure was put on her to do so.

Her personal issues aside this becomes a big problem when all the multi millionaires decide 15k isnt worth the work and then the sport dies quickly.

LdN
 
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