NAOMI OSAKA: FAMILY & BEGINNING OF CAREER

Naomi Osaka was born on October 16, 1997, in Chūō-ku, Osaka in Japan to Tamaki Osaka and Leonard François.

[caption id="attachment_140049" align="alignnone" width="455"] Naomi Osaka (left) with her family: Elder sister Mari, mother Tamaki Osaka from Japan, and father Leonard François who is from Haiti[/caption]

* Her mother is from Hokkaido, Japan, and her father is from Jacmel, Haiti.

* She has an older sister named Mari Osaka who is a former professional tennis player.

* The two girls were given their mother’s family name for practical reasons when the family lived in Japan.

* Osaka’s parents met when her father was visiting Hokkaido while he was a college student in New York.

* When Osaka was three years old, her family moved from Japan to Valley Stream, New York on Long Island to live with her father’s parents.

* Osaka’s father was inspired to teach his daughters how to play tennis by watching the Williams sisters compete at the 1999 French Open.

* Having little experience as a tennis player himself, he sought to emulate how Richard Williams, the father of Williams’ sisters, trained his daughters to become two of the best players in the world, despite having never played the sport.

* François remarked that “the blueprint was already there. I just had to follow it,” with regard to the detailed plan Richard had developed for his daughters.

* He began coaching Naomi and Mari once they settled in the United States.

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[caption id="attachment_140050" align="alignleft" width="500"] French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton addresses the media on Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal on Monday (1 June) at Roland Garros[/caption]

The French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton has been called out for the stunning irony of his statement about Naomi Osaka’s bombshell decision to withdraw from the grand slam tournament.

Osaka stunned the tennis world on Monday (31 May) by pulling out of the French Open, explaining she had been suffering from depression for almost three years.

Before tournament

The Japanese star said in the build-up to the tournament that she would not attend the obligatory press conferences for players after matches, saying the questioning by journalists stresses her mental health.

The 23-year-old was fined after following through with that threat in the wake of her first round win at Roland-Garros, before making the call to withdraw from the tournament before her second round match.

Moretton statement

The French Tennis Federation President addressed the “unfortunate” situation on Monday in a short press conference that included no questions from media afterwards, revealed Yahoo Sports yesterday (1 June).

“The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland Garros is unfortunate. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery, and we look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year,” Moretton said.

Snubbing media questions

“As all the Grand Slams, the WTA, the ATP, and the ITF, we remain very committed to all athletes’ well-being, and to continually improving every aspect of players’ experience in our tournament - including with the media, like we have always strived to do. Thank you.”

The irony that Moretton did not face the media’s questions after the press conference - particularly after addressing Osaka’s situation - was not lost on tennis fans who vented their anger on social media.

Social media reactions

“The irony and the insult from the President of @rolandgarros for not taking questions after the weak statements regarding Osaka. Ridiculous! Can we ask how much he will be fined and can he just retire?!?!,” said one Jerry Cruz on Twitter.

Ben Rothenberg Tweeted, “And yes, the immense irony of the FFT President not taking questions from the media in the wake of this Osaka withdrawal is not lost on anyone.”

“The irony. FFT President Gilles Moretton releases a statement about Naomi Osaka, but then refuses to take questions from the press. Issue a fine to this clown,” Tweeted one SierraBro22.

An unexpected situation

[caption id="attachment_140051" align="alignleft" width="300"] “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said (file photo)[/caption]

After her first round win, Osaka was fined $ 15,000 (Rs. 29,55949) by the Roland Garros referee, and Grand Slam organisers later issued a strongly-worded statement warning of possible expulsion from the French Open and future majors if she failed to change her stance on boycotting press conferences.

Citing her ongoing battle with depression, the 23-year-old sensationally took matters into her own hands to end the stand-off.

“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago,” the world No.2 posted on Twitter.

Never want to be a distraction

“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.

“I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer.”

Japanese star battling depression

Osaka, one of the biggest names in women’s sport, went on to say she had been battling depression for a number of years.

“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said.

“Anyone that knows me knows I’m introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I’m often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.”

Booed at Flushing Meadows

After beating Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows to claim her first major in 2018, Osaka was booed by the crowd during the presentation ceremony as her victory was overshadowed by the American’s outburst after a row with the umpire.

Osaka said that since then she has struggled in the spotlight, suffering “huge waves of anxiety” before speaking to the world’s media.

Williams, after her first-round match in Paris, offered her support to Osaka.

Take off for some time

“You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, in the best way she thinks she can, and that’s the only thing I can say,” Williams said.

“I think she’s doing the best that she can.”

Osaka tweeted that she would take some time away from tennis and hoped later to meet the sport’s organisers to improve the system for “the players, press, and fans”.

Wimbledon starts in four weeks while Osaka’s next tournament is scheduled to be in Berlin on grass in two weeks’ time.