Osaka earns support after announcing break from sport

NEW YORK, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Retired athletes voiced their assist for four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka on Saturday after she mentioned she would take a break from tennis having misplaced her enthusiasm for competitors.

The world quantity three suffered a surprising defeat within the third spherical of the U.S. Open on Friday earlier than tearfully telling reporters she deliberate to take an indefinite break from the game. read more

“I really feel like for me lately, like, after I win I do not really feel blissful. I really feel extra like a reduction,” mentioned Japan’s Osaka, months after publicly disclosing that she had suffered from melancholy.

“Take on a regular basis that you must recuperate, relaxation, and heal, @naomiosaka,” 12-time Grand Slam singles champion Billie Jean King wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “Sending you’re keen on and assist.”

Retired American tennis participant James Blake applauded her resolution.

“Please do what’s finest for you @naomiosaka,” he mentioned on social media. “We wish to see your extraordinary tennis once more, however extra importantly, we wish to see you content.”

Six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker responded to Blake in a quote retweet: “That is proper.”

The 23-year-old has ushered in a brand new dialog round psychological well being in skilled sport after she dropped out of the French Open amid a public row over necessary press conferences on the Grand Slam, saying they took too nice a toll on her psychological wellbeing. read more

Osaka’s affect extends far past the court docket, as she introduced the Black Lives Matter protest to tennis’ worldwide platform a 12 months in the past, changing into a number one determine for athlete advocacy within the course of.

“Good resolution. Younger, making an attempt to determine life, learn how to win constantly, and as an enormous movie star athlete is tough! Making an attempt to even be a change maker too. Exponentially tougher!” four-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Michael Johnson wrote on Twitter.

“If there was ever a necessity for an athlete to step away, that is it.”

Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Enhancing by Hugh Lawson and Toby Davis

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.