Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[ti-amie]

Is the media "losing" its mind? I really don't know if there has been an uproar over this. I have only seen it reported, not blown out of proportion.
What should RG do? Simply accept it? It is a contractual obligation.

There was a virtual riot on Tennis Twitter earlier today between tennis fans and "the media" after that ITF statement. Yes they're losing their minds.
Brad Gilbert and a few others have been voices of reason.

[ponchi101]

Ok, you know I am not in social media. But who was losing their minds? The fans or the journalists? I do not believe that Twitter falls under main-stream media, as social media is by definition a different thing.

[ti-amie]

Ok, you know I am not in social media. But who was losing their minds? The fans or the journalists? I do not believe that Twitter falls under main-stream media, as social media is by definition a different thing.

Tennis MSM - Clarey, Simon Briggs, Jon Wertheim, Simon Cambers - those types are on Twitter. Clarey has stayed above the fray. I haven't seen any of the Aussies or Brits but I've been off the bird app for awhile.

[ti-amie]

There was video of the incident but I can't find it...

Found it

[Deuce]

No these things didn't happen at Slams but tennis "media" losing its collective mind over one player making a decision makes me wonder what provoked her decision.

That said we can always do the "Imagine if player so and so did...". There are bigger things than skipping a presser the tennis media could be upset about especially since it's been years since RG posted transcripts or video of post match pressers.

As Marshawn Lynch said

I think the reason that the tennis media - and media in general - are so upset at Naomi doing this is because they can foresee it snowballing, with more and more players choosing to do the same thing now that the ice has been broken. And that could well threaten their jobs - or render them nothing more than gossip mongers, writing articles full of speculation and assumptions because they're not getting anything directly from the players.
They have good reason to be scared.

Is the media "losing" its mind? I really don't know if there has been an uproar over this. I have only seen it reported, not blown out of proportion.
What should RG do? Simply accept it? It is a contractual obligation.

And that's the problem - it should never be a contractual obligation. Never in a million years. The only contractual obligation players should have should be that they always give their best effort on the court, and abide by the rules of the game. Doing media, doing ads for sponsors, etc. is all extra-curricular stuff, and should not be legislated by the governing bodies of the sport.
Marshawn Lynch was right. One's basic rights as a human being should come well ahead of any obligation to talk with the media. It's called freedom, and everyone has a right to it.

[ti-amie]

I think that when the FFT decided not to post interviews in any format - print or video - there should've been more of an uproar. The only folks talking about it were a few bloggers, who were the folks specifically targeted by the decision. Credentialed media didn't think it was fair to give the general public access to the same information they had a "right" to because they were credentialed.

If the FFT hadn't taken this stance I might be more sympathetic to their position.

Osaka didn't say she was boycotting at ALL slams but that is how it's being portrayed.

[Deuce]

Naomi did do the after match on-court interview with Fabrice Santoro today, for anyone wondering.

[Fastbackss]

Mari Osaka posted on reddit some more detail on why Naomi was doing this. I read it while half asleep and retained none of it. I went back to post here and it's gone. I am sure screenshots are out there.

[MJ2004]

Mari Osaka posted on reddit some more detail on why Naomi was doing this. I read it while half asleep and retained none of it. I went back to post here and it's gone. I am sure screenshots are out there.

This article includes Mari's post:
https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/naomi-o ... 2513f2ef80

[ponchi101]

Naomi has withdrawn from the tournament.

[meganfernandez]

Naomi has withdrawn from the tournament.

Now that's a statement. (Also, someone posted it below and there were some comments.)

Crossed my mind that she might but I didn't really think she would. I'm glad this won't continue to dominate the tournament for the rest of the week. Should simmer down for the tournament and then we'll see how ti's handled going forward. Obviously she will be asked about it if she returns to press conferences, and she'll be prepared, and most of the press corps (at least in English) will be empathetic, and we won't be talking about this by the US Open or even by the end of Wimbledon unless she struggles on the court or takes up this mantle publicly. That's my prediction. I've been wrong before!

Not many people talk about her taking part in the boycott during Cincy. These things blow over pretty fast... because we care more about the actual tennis. Pretty soon we'll be back to talking favorites and form, except those obsessed with tennis media.

An American player ranked in the 400s or 500s (who also has a budding media career) pointed out that many players deal with depression but can't afford to skip a presser, much less withdraw from a tournament and walk away from prize money. Osaka's lucky that she can afford to take care of herself in that way. She has resources, she'll get help, unless maybe there's a stigma against depression in Japanese culture?

[Deuce]

Honestly - did Naomi truly expect that everyone in the tennis world would agree with her, and that things would change immediately?
I think the reaction of the 4 Majors was quite predictable. Maybe Naomi and her people should have become better acquainted with the rules before taking on this project. She announced that she was ready to accept the consequences of her actions - but when the consequences came, she bolted.

Perhaps its the reaction from her fellow players that surprised her - she didn't get much, if any, support for her position of not talking to the media. All the other players I heard express a perspective said that they feel that doing media is 'part of the job', and that, while not always pleasant, they don't see it as a big deal. I think Naomi was counting on more support from her peers, and when that didn't happen, she was hurt.

I truly liked Naomi when she first started doing well. She was shy, introverted, honest, avoiding the spotlight, seeking to hide from attention rather than seeking attention. But, gradually, she has sought out too much attention for my liking. What she did at the U.S. Open with the masks was wonderful, and she did it in a very understated and effective manner. But since then, she has sought out the spotlight too much - with the fashion stuff, bikini photos, high profile 'famous' boyfriend, etc. How did such a naturally shy introvert become the most popular and highest paid female athlete?
She has brought a lot of attention onto herself with her outside-of-tennis activities. Naturally, when you expose yourself and seek the public's attention to that degree, you cannot possibly expect that all reactions will be positive. But it looks like that's exactly what she was expecting.

It seems that, as a very popular, 'famous', and very rich athlete, she was expecting that everyone will always love her and agree with her, and that she'll always get her way. This, then, might be seen as a rather rude awakening for her; proving that 'fame' is really just a grand illusion.
One can't really blame her too much - after all, not very long ago, she was simply a very shy, quiet introvert whom no-one knew. To go from that to being one of the richest and most 'famous' people on the planet in such a short time, and at such a young age, is sure to shake one up emotionally and psychologically. And then to further discover that 'fame' is not all it's cracked up to be... well, that can break you down.

I hope that Naomi will go back to being who she truly is - the shy, sincere introvert who avoids the spotlight far more than she seeks it. Only then, in my opinion, will she truly find the inner peace that she's searching for.

[ponchi101]

Billie Jean King gives her opinion.
Billie Jean King Delicately Reminds Naomi Osaka Of ‘Responsibility’ To Press

[JazzNU]

Billie Jean King gives her opinion.
Billie Jean King Delicately Reminds Naomi Osaka Of ‘Responsibility’ To Press

She could have and should have sat this out. How many viewed her took a hit because of her response. Check the replies, there is overwhelming disappointment from people that have long admired her.

[nelslus]

I am truly disgusted by the earlier responses from the Grand Slam poo-bahs. But, hey- they clearly got what they wanted, while also letting everyone know what is really important- post match interviews vs. one's well-being. Spare a thought, btw, if you really want to keep going on and on about how Naomi mishandled this- she's 23. How old are the rest of us? (Spoiler alert: I'm not exactly 23.) It'd have been nice if these poo-bahs could have, for once, focused less on the "bottom line" and actually tried to be the adults here.

I'd really like it if everyone would stop telling someone- much less a woman of color, famous or otherwise- what they should and should not do. Not a good look. Yes, we clearly are all allowed to our opinions. But, perhaps we all should focus a lot more on fixing what we can fix the most- improving our opinions about ourselves, cleaning up our own (expletive), and stop should-ing all over over others.

I'd really like it if more in here could spare a moment to actually some compassion and caring for someone who has been brave enough- rich person and all that- to talk about her obviously serious mental health issues with depression. When this really should not have bene anyone's business outside of her inner circle of loved ones.

Maybe if you all understood how hard it can be just to crawl out of bed every day when you have clinical depression, and go to work every day- how much energy it takes to speak out- when knowing that by doing so, you risk making the depression even worse- because it sometimes just reinforces the notion of how no one will really listen, anyway, so why complain? Before you try to come out the other side and realize that you have to take risks to fight this horror. Really, truly- depression is horrible. I swear. I've crumbled now and then, and I can only imagine what the "opinions" of so, so many, as Naomi must face. (And, truly, whatever Naomi's sister posted should not at all reflect on Naomi and any discussion. I'd rip my biological family a new one if they ever dared to try to Instagram their take on my life.)

Trust that there is a huge stigma about depression and mental health issues in every culture. Obviously, this site is nowhere near what the rest of the world shovels out. Everyone in here is, of course, a good person. But, after reading a few comments in here- I genuinely feel the stigma coming out in here. Would I confide with a few of you further at this point in time? No. And, trust that just about everyone has those in their lives who struggle with mental health issues. At its worst, depression makes you never want to talk with anyone ever again. Please consider how you may unintentionally be shutting people down, just when they really might be helped if you would just listen. (Or, HEY, feel free to ignore what I'm saying- I'm just one of those depressed people, after all.)