Osaka distraction threatens to overshadow Roland Garros amid potential ban

Naomi Osaka’s sister Mari has weighed in to the debate sparked by the Japanese star’s press conference ban which prompted the Grand Slam Board to issue a fine and threaten a suspension.

Naomi Osaka has been fined nearly $20,000 and threatened with possible disqualification if she fails to comply with press conference obligations during the French Open. Picture: Getty Images

If Naomi Osaka’s hope when she issued a French Open press conference ban was to minimise distraction, the Japanese star has served a double-fault in the war of no spoken words.

The world No.2 is in the precarious position of potentially being defaulted from Roland Garros and banned from future grand slams should she continue her protocol breach.

In a show of unification, Tennis Australia was among the signatories to a statement issued by the board of the four grand slams stipulating clearly the penalties she is facing.

Osaka, an opening round 6-4 7-6 (4) winner over Patricia Maria Tig, was fined nearly $20,000 for failing to fulfil her press conference duties on Sunday in Paris.

Should she continue her run in Roland Garros, where her best effort is a third round appearance, there will be great interest in whether the star or the sport blinks first.

In response, the 23-year-old posted the following comment on social media; “Anger is a lack of understanding. Change makes people uncomfortable.”

Osaka, who likened attending press conferences after a loss to “kicking a person when they are down”, has framed the decision around protecting her mental health.

Mental health is not to be trifled with, as the statement from the major bodies explicitly expressed this.

But the statement also pointed out an athlete’s obligation and stressed the importance of fairness in treatment and to the rule book for all.

In an increasingly polarising debate regarding the stance of the four-time major winner, even the definition of mental health is being questioned.

Osaka’s older sister Mari offered the most detailed explanation about what prompted the stance from the dual-Australian Open winner, who is the world’s highest paid female athlete.

In a lengthy post, she said Osaka told her a family member had spoken to the star before the tournament and remarked “she’s bad at clay”.

This followed understandable questions about her form on the red dirt and whether she is capable of making the necessary adjustments to become a success on the shifting surface.

“Her confidence was completely shattered and I think that everyone’s remarks and opinions have gotten to her head and she herself believed she was bad on clay,” she wrote.

“So her solution was to block everything out. No talking to people who (are) going to put doubt in her mind. She’s protecting her mind, hence why it’s called mental health.

“Some people are picky on this term thinking you need to have depression or some sort of disorder to be able to use the term mental health.

“I don’t know what she is going to do in the future when the tournament pushes back and threatens to default her, but I fully support my sister’s actions because she’s trying to do what’s best for her.”

Mari Osaka, Naomi's sister, has provided a lot more information about Osaka's decision to skip press conferences.

"Naomi mentioned to me before the tournament that a family member had come up to her and remarked that she’s bad at clay."https://t.co/7PBptIafJcpic.twitter.com/5EB0c2JWn0

— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) May 30, 2021

Mari Osaka, who cried in a press conference after her only professional match in Miami when she was beaten as a wildcard entrant, later issued regret for buying into the debate.

“Ok, so I f***** up. My words are coming across so horribly to a lot of people who think taking care of mental health is strategic,” she wrote.

“I didn’t emphasise the fact that Naomi is dealing with a ton of s*** and honestly fighting for the care of mental health in my post, so now a lot of people are taking it as, ‘She doesn’t want to face criticism’.

“I’m sorry, Naomi. I probably made the situation worse.”

The stance has sparked and splintered subsequent debates in the global sport, though many of her peers have responded with nuance.

Billie Jean King built the professional women’s tour through clever courting of the media and noted that, while she respected Osaka’s strong stances on subjects, press conferences remain a necessary duty to grow the sport.

Ash Barty was similarly diplomatic, so too Petra Kvitova. The latter has detailed the terrible ordeal which almost ended her career in media conferences despite internal misgivings.

But there is a section of tennis fans who follow their favourites fanatically. Woe behold any person or organisation who crosses the player.

Osaka, who has almost one million followers on Twitter and another 2.2 million on Instagram, has largely enjoyed strong support but toxic trolls are circling.

There is another element as well. Roland Garros is famous for battles of attrition. Just putting the tournament on in the Covid-19 era has been extraordinary difficult yet again.

Sadly, the most stirring encounter of this French Open may yet prove to be off the court because of the distraction caused by a player who was trying to block out distraction.

Let’s hope it does not come to that, for this could well be a grand slam of historical significance.

Rafael Nadal is bidding to surpass Roger Federer on the all-time major list. Serena Williams could equal Margaret Court.

Barty and Iga Swiatek share, effectively, defending champion status at Roland Garros given the peculiarities caused by Covid-19.

And Osaka, undoubtedly a remarkable player, could yet take another step towards greatness on the court if she was able to master the sliding, slower surface. That would be a story to listen to.