Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1 tennis player, has opened up about her struggles with self-worth and the emotional toll of her 2018 US Open victory. In an interview on the Tennis Insider Club podcast, Osaka revealed that she was deeply affected by the negative fan reaction to her win, which was overshadowed by controversy surrounding Serena Williams’ code violations.
“I went on social media the night after I won,” Osaka said. “I was reading a lot of people saying that I didn’t deserve to win. I remember I started crying a lot.”
Osaka’s victory was marred by multiple code violations against Williams, which led to a hostile atmosphere at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The crowd booed Osaka during the trophy ceremony, causing her to hide her face behind her visor.
“Honestly, I never really processed it well,” Osaka said. “I just ignored it and kept moving on with my life.”
Osaka believes that her inability to process the emotional turmoil of her US Open victory contributed to her breakdown at the 2021 Roland Garros, where she withdrew from the tournament after refusing to participate in post-match press conferences.
“I didn’t see the worth I had as a human outside of tennis,” Osaka said. “I would lose a match and feel like my life is meaningless, like the only value I had was winning.”
Osaka’s time away from tennis has helped her to develop a healthier perspective on her career and her life outside of the sport. She is now a mother to daughter Shai and believes that her break from tennis was crucial for her mental health.
“I needed to learn how to live in the real world,” Osaka said. “The athlete’s life span is so short, it’s not like I’m going to be playing tennis forever.”
Osaka’s journey for self-worth is a reminder of the importance of mental health in sports. It is a story of resilience, growth, and the realization that there is more to life than winning and losing.
