Naomi Osaka, the Controversy

[Federberg]

I think that whatever the veracity of Osaka's issues are, and I tend to believe she was being sincere, this crisis is timely. I think the stance of the Slams was clumsy and reactionary. Media has evolved over the years, players like Osaka have a reach which rivals that of conventional media. I think the Slams have to update how they define media. The time has come to look at the utility of the conventional post match interview. I wouldn't be mad if players used their social media platforms as an alternative to communicate their thoughts after matches. I don't see that there is any necessity in subjecting players to some of the crass questions we get from journalists in the post-match room. Quite often what we get from players from their platforms is more insightful or entertaining than what we get from the media scrum. That's not to say that the post-media interview needs to be scrapped, but it beggars my mind that the Slams don't understand that the social media platforms these players have are often more impactful than the standard post match interview. Join us in the 21st century please, it's fun here... If Slams took the stance that some sort of balance between social media and conventional media is sufficient I bet that sponsors would be fine with that. It just takes some sort of collaboration to ensure that the Slams sponsors are somehow acknowledged where the players are using their own platforms. It's not rocket science imho

 

[GameSetAndMath]

From a news article:

"Sometimes, though, players hit back when faced with questions they deem downright stupid or inappropriate.

"That is the stupidest question I have ever heard," Nick Kyrgios said in January 2020, when asked if it was "possible for Alex de Minaur to beat Nadal".

Even 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal himself criticised a journalist in 2019 for asking him if his form on court had been affected by getting married.

"Honestly are you asking me this? Is this a serious question or a joke?," retorted the Spaniard, who then called the question "bullshit".

There is no doubt that sometimes players face inappropriate questions -- Simona Halep was once asked if her breast reduction had "served her on the court or outside".

Sometimes the questions are just bizarre, like when Stan Wawrinka was asked about "what Martin Luther King would have looked like on Twitter".

 

[Moxie]

Rather than coopting the Cincy thread, I thought we could move this specific conversation here. It's an interesting conversation, and a worthy topic...Osaka herself, and mental health issues and athletes.


EDIT: @Moxie — I changed the time/date of this post to put it at the top of the thread - @tented

 

[Moxie]

Osaka's form in the 1st set was not good,some of her shots were not finding the lines.As a tennis player it is part of her duty to attend a press conference.

Oh, don't be a pill. Clearly that has been difficult for her.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Oh, don't be a pill. Clearly that has been difficult for her.

Excuse me....Osaka has not been treated unfairly in her short career by the press full stop.I can name players that have been unfairly treated by the press.,after her early loss at the Olympics she decided not to front the media? she was the face of the Olympics,then came back to face the press? she has had time off to seek help for her mental issues.she cannot just front the media when she wins or when she feels like it..

 

[Moxie]

Excuse me....Osaka has not been treated unfairly in her short career by the press full stop.I can name players that have been unfairly treated by the press.,after her early loss at the Olympics she decided not to front the media? she was the face of the Olympics,then came back to face the press? she has had time off to seek help for her mental issues.she cannot just front the media when she wins.

We can agree to disagree on this. It's a long conversation, and I won't disrupt this thread with it.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We can agree to disagree on this. It's a long conversation, and I won't disrupt this thread with it.

Good as I stand by what I say.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Good as I stand by what I say.

Can I suggest a jello wrestling match

 

[kskate2]

Excuse me....Osaka has not been treated unfairly in her short career by the press full stop.I can name players that have been unfairly treated by the press.,after her early loss at the Olympics she decided not to front the media? she was the face of the Olympics,then came back to face the press? she has had time off to seek help for her mental issues.she cannot just front the media when she wins or when she feels like it..

So here's what I don't understand MM. She has issues w/ the press asking her questions, but she continues to make headlines with some of her decisions. To her detriment she chose not to play a grass warmup or Wimby, but goes to the ESPY's (which is a media circus for athletes). Then goes to Tokyo, lights the torch and struggles with handling the pressure of playing for her home country. The latter part has happened to many athletes, no biggie or shame in that. But snuffs the media after her loss. I don't know if she's getting help or not as that's her personal business to announce, but she got a dog recently and had no reservations plastering that all over social media.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

So here's what I don't understand MM. She has issues w/ the press asking her questions, but she continues to make headlines with some of her decisions. To her detriment she chose not to play a grass warmup or Wimby, but goes to the ESPY's (which is a media circus for athletes). Then goes to Tokyo, lights the torch and struggles with handling the pressure of playing for her home country. The latter part has happened to many athletes, no biggie or shame in that. But snuffs the media after her loss. I don't know if she's getting help or not as that's her personal business to announce, but she got a dog recently and had no reservations plastering that all over socio just recently made

Her manager didnt like 'the tone'? of a question asked by a journalist in her pre press conferences in this tournament? please she and her team are becoming just 'too precious'' for words.Now the media is being accused of 'bully tactics"??? give me a break.
Osaka just has to restort to tears and she has the whole world in her hands.Quite frankly I am over her.I admire her as a tennis player,always have ,always will.Maybe she should watch Sharapova's press conferences to know how to handle the 'bully press' she used to stare you in the eye,pause and then said,next question.Osaka has made her own bed and has set the narrative for herself.

 

[Moxie]

So here's what I don't understand MM. She has issues w/ the press asking her questions, but she continues to make headlines with some of her decisions. To her detriment she chose not to play a grass warmup or Wimby, but goes to the ESPY's (which is a media circus for athletes). Then goes to Tokyo, lights the torch and struggles with handling the pressure of playing for her home country. The latter part has happened to many athletes, no biggie or shame in that. But snuffs the media after her loss. I don't know if she's getting help or not as that's her personal business to announce, but she got a dog recently and had no reservations plastering that all over social media.

While I have tried to be sympathetic, as I do understand that she's not necessarily the most suited to press, I agree that some of her recent choices have left me scratching my head, starting with the Netflix documentary. And I get why carrying the Olympic torch in the big moment is a great honor, but, where she was already set up for pressure in Japan, she added to it. I am trying to empathize with her juggling the "brand" and the pressures, but she does make some odd choices. Either she wants to be left alone, like Greta Garbo, or she wants to have a big presence. When she keeps trying to have it both ways, she's going to lose a lot of sympathy.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

While I have tried to be sympathetic, as I do understand that she's not necessarily the most suited to press, I agree that some of her recent choices have left me scratching my head, starting with the Netflix documentary. And I get why carrying the Olympic torch in the big moment is a great honor, but, where she was already set up for pressure in Japan, she added to it. I am trying to empathize with her juggling the "brand" and the pressures, but she does make some odd choices. Either she wants to be left alone, like Greta Garbo, or she wants to have a big presence. When she keeps trying to have it both ways, she's going to lose a lot of sympathy.

Well she has lost me,I am not the only one either.

 

[Moxie]

Well she has lost me,I am not the only one either.

I'm going to start a thread, because this will just hijack the Cincy one.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I'm going to start a thread, because this will just hijack the Cincy one.

I am not interested I have said what I wanting to say.Period.I was just answering Kskate post to me

 

[Moxie]

I just read an article in the NYTimes on Osaka's recent press conference where she supposedly "burst into tears," (as many headlines would have it,) and her agent or someone was angry about an aggressive question. This seems to be mischaracterized by what I read:

Naomi Osaka Struggles in Return to Tournament News Conferences (Published 2021)

Osaka, who quit the French Open in May by saying press commitments worsened her anxiety, burst into tears and left the room after a question her agent said was asked “to intimidate.”

www.nytimes.com

I realize that this is behind a pay wall, so I will try to summarize and find a link to her press conference. The NY Times link to the press conference shows Naomi responding to a question about how everyone has responded positively to her about how she's come out about her issues, and it doesn't seem that she was crying in response to a specific tough question. It seemed to me that her response itself made her emotional. Also, she did not "burst into tears," as many headlines have said. It looks to me that she just needed a break.

This is one youtube link, but it doesn't show what the NYTimes one does.

It's interesting, but doesn't tell the full story. If you can see the video on the NYTimes link, it's very interesting to see the sequence of events.

 

[Moxie]

I am not interested I have said what I wanting to say.Period.I was just answering Kskate post to me

OK, cranky-pants, then it's not for you. But I had more to say, and I'm choosing not to disrupt this thread.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

OK, cranky-pants, then it's not for you. But I had more to say, and I'm choosing not to disrupt this thread.

I am not cranky at all,I have no more to say on the subject.

 

[Moxie]

I am not cranky at all,I have no more to say on the subject.

I've heard that before. LOL. (This is a funny...don't get mad.)

 

[kskate2]

I just read an article in the NYTimes on Osaka's recent press conference where she supposedly "burst into tears," (as many headlines would have it,) and her agent or someone was angry about an aggressive question. This seems to be mischaracterized by what I read:

Naomi Osaka Struggles in Return to Tournament News Conferences (Published 2021)

Osaka, who quit the French Open in May by saying press commitments worsened her anxiety, burst into tears and left the room after a question her agent said was asked “to intimidate.”

www.nytimes.com

I realize that this is behind a pay wall, so I will try to summarize and find a link to her press conference. The NY Times link to the press conference shows Naomi responding to a question about how everyone has responded positively to her about how she's come out about her issues, and it doesn't seem that she was crying in response to a specific tough question. It seemed to me that her response itself made her emotional. Also, she did not "burst into tears," as many headlines have said. It looks to me that she just needed a break.

This is one youtube link, but it doesn't show what the NYTimes one does.

It's interesting, but doesn't tell the full story. If you can see the video on the NYTimes link, it's very interesting to see the sequence of events.

I watched the video and I don't see where anyone was being overly aggressive with her. She's in a fragile place right now (her own doing) and like @MargaretMcAleer said, she's almost turning into a crybaby. She needs to talk to her manager and her PR specialist. She needs to have some mock interviews where they drill her w/ questions and they can help her w/ some prepared answers. Better it come from someone she knows and trusts and then she can transfer that to the press room.

 

[Moxie]

I watched the video and I don't see where anyone was being overly aggressive with her. She's in a fragile place right now (her own doing) and like @MargaretMcAleer said, she's almost turning into a crybaby. She needs to talk to her manager and her PR specialist. She needs to have some mock interviews where they drill her w/ questions and they can help her w/ some prepared answers. Better it come from someone she knows and trusts and then she can transfer that to the press room.

What bothers me is that I think it was mischaracterized in the press. But also by her PR person.

But I want to go back to the Billie Jean King quote, so unfortunately cited by Djokovic, just before he melted down at the Olympics: Pressure is a privilege. It is. It is also a burden, and folks handle it differently. Osaka and Kyrgios have opened the discussion about not necessarily being 100% down with the way things work for them. Are they over-paid and over-privileged brats, or do they have a complaint?