Withdrawal after US Open ‘indefinitely’
In her last appearance on the big tennis stage, after the end of the US Open, Osaka had “indefinitely“By the WTA Tour, as she announced at the time, she was visibly emotionally stricken. Shortly before, she had also failed earlier than expected at the Olympic Games, before she had lit the torch in the stadium at the opening ceremony.
The host nation’s immense burden of expectations for their tennis star, the first Asian number one, was also noticeable on the court in Tokyo. Both French Open Osaka even withdrew from the tournament after the opening match. On the grounds that the mandatory press conferences, especially after defeats, are too much of a burden for them. In Wimbledon she hadn’t even started afterwards.
Mental health – a big issue in the tennis world
Osaka had previously spoken repeatedly about the topic of mental health. In her Netflix documentary, she opened up about struggling with depression for several years. She got a lot of encouragement for this, especially from the world of tennis, which has always been a sport of lone fighters. As a result, other active people also spoke about the immense psychological stress on the global tennis tour, which was perceived even more strongly due to the restrictions resulting from the pandemic. “She allows herself to allow these sad feelings and to live through them“, said US tennis legend Pam Shriver in the New York Times appreciative of the young Japanese woman.
By publicly making her mental health an issue, like other stars from the entertainment industry, for example, Osaka represents a slowly changing zeitgeist, also in world sports.
She also raised her voice against political and social grievances: It was Osaka who, in 2020,Black Lives Matter“Movement brought to the otherwise rather apolitical tennis tour. At the WTA tournament in new York in August 2020, she forced the games to be suspended; the day before, African American Jacob Blake had been shot and seriously injured by police officers in Kenosha. Osaka then entered the square with face masks printed with the names of other victims of racist police violence. Even after the death of George Floyd, who triggered the movement in the United States, Osaka took part in protest rallies.
Face of a new generation of tennis players
At the latest, she became the face of a new generation of players previously unknown on the tennis tour. Also as far as marketing is concerned: among Osaka’s advertising partners you won’t find the usual solid luxury brands. She has contracts with a game console manufacturer and a Big players from the digital economy, and she also cooperates with tech companies and hip fashion labels. In 2019 alone, she had aloud forbesMagazine earned $37 million, more than any other female athlete.
The relief was correspondingly great, also among the organizers of the big tournaments, that Osaka has now returned to the WTA tour in Australia after a four-month break. At the preparatory tournament in Melbourne, Osaka was stable again, but then gave up before the semi-finals. Due to injury, her body first had to get used to the high intensity of several consecutive matches.
Even after their first round win at the Australian Open she spoke of the “special circumstances“, the first major of the year feels like a new beginning for her after the long break from competition: “It’s exciting, everything is also a bit uncertain“, she said and also gave an insight into her emotional world: “I have a diary with me, I have decided to record how I am doing every day“, she said. But she feels great anticipation for the tournament: “I’m here because I want to be here. And because I enjoy playing tennis.“
Status: 17.01.2022, 2:23 p.m