The talk of the town today is Noami Osaka’s shocking decision to withdraw completely from the French Open in order to take care of her mental health. The move has brought the subject of mental health back to the forefront of discussions, especially as it pertains to players in the sports world. Osaka has been both praised and criticized for her decision, and Serena Williams, who just triumphed over Irina-Camelia Begu in the first round of the French Open, commented on the controversy following her match.
“I feel for Naomi,” Williams said. “Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thin. Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently.”
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“You really have to step forward and make an effort, just as in anything, and say, ‘I need help with A, B, C and D,’ and talk to someone,” she added. “I think that’s so important to have a sounding board, whether it’s someone at the WTA, or someone in your life, or maybe it’s someone you talk to on a weekly basis.”
“I’ve been in that position, too, and I’ve definitely had opportunities to talk to people and just get things off my chest that I can’t necessarily talk about to anyone in my family or anyone I know.” Osaka has remained a trending topic on multiple social media platforms throughout the day (May 31) as people like Piers Morgan and Candance Owens have criticized her for sharing her mental health struggles publicly, as they believe she’s doing it for sympathy.
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