Last week, Naomi Osaka decided to put her well-being first by opting out of a press conference during the French Open before ultimately withdrawing from the tournament as a whole.
Her decision to prioritize her mental health sparked conversation on the weight that lies upon the shoulders of professional athletes.
Not only did fellow athletes like Venus Williams, Usain Bolt, and others rally behind Osaka’s decision, but now Meditation app Calm stands with the four-time Grand Slam champ.
They also shared that they stand with other tennis players looking to do the same when it comes to protecting their peace.
On Wednesday (June 2), the company announced that it had pledged $15,000 to French youth sports charity Laureus and that it will pay the fine of any Grand Slam tennis player who will decline media appearances for the sake of their mental health.
Calm also will match the $15,000 with a donation to Laureus.
But this is bigger than any individual player.
Calm will also pay the fine for players opting out of 2021 Grand Slam media appearances for mental health reasons, and we will match the fine with a $15,000 donation to @LaureusSport.#MentalHealthIsHealth 🧠
— Calm (@calm) June 2, 2021
Osaka was hit with a $15,000 fine and even received threats of a disqualification after she opted out of the post-game conference following her first-round win at the French Open.
In a statement, the 23-year-old revealed her struggle with depression and reiterated her decision to skip the press event was for self-care.
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She also announced her withdrawal from the competition in order to put herself first.
While some fans and media personalities have thrown shade based on Osaka’s decision, an outpour of support has come in for the young tennis superstar’s decision to take care of herself.
“Mental health is not a joke, this is real and serious,” said Formula One racing champion Lewis Hamilton via Twitter. ” This takes a lot of courage to do. LEt’s make sure Naomi knows she’s not alone.”
In the midst of the announcement, the leaders of all four tennis Grand Slams which include The Australia Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon announced that they would make an attempt to address concerns from players regarding their mental health during the competition.
The US Open and Wimbledon competitions are slated for later this summer.
