Tennis star Naomi Osaka will not participate in Wimbledon this year, according to a statement released by her team.
“Naomi won’t be playing Wimbledon this year,” the statement said, according to The Times’ tennis correspondent Stuart Fraser. “She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans.”
BREAKING: Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from Wimbledon.
A statement from her team says: “Naomi won’t be playing Wimbledon this year. She is taking some personal time with friends and family. She will be ready for the Olympics and is excited to play in front of her home fans.”
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) June 17, 2021
Osaka’s withdrawal from Wimbledon follows her withdrawal from the French Open due to mental health issues. The tennis star received backlash and a $15,000 fine from the organizers of the tournament after she declared she would not participate in press conferences. (RELATED: Naomi Osaka Pulls Out Of French Open After Refusing To Talk To The Press)
After being threatened with expulsion, she backed out of the tournament on her own.
“I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer,” Osaka said in a statement at the time.
“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” she shared.
Osaka revealed she has struggled with depression since she won the U.S. Open back in 2018.