Naomi Osaka Details Importance Of Talking About Mental Health Struggles
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Naomi Osaka was one of the first tennis players to speak openly about her mental health issues, and she has done that ever since.
Osaka wasn't afraid to open up about her mental health struggles. She has been very open, and maybe also because of her openness, many other tennis players felt like they could speak about their problems as well.
Paula Badosa, Amanda Anisimova, and many others detailed their struggles, also maybe thanks to Osaka. She was one of the trailblazers when it comes to the mental health topic in tennis.
But Osaka is also aware that it might not be enough to mention the topic once. Since doing it for the first time, the Japanese player has often mentioned the importance of talking about mental health.
She recently sat down with CNN and once again emphasized how important it is to speak about mental health.
"I feel like it’s really important to speak about mental health, because at least for me, when I’m down, I usually feel like I’m alone and I’m the only person that feels in that specific way."
Osaka often thought that she was the only one who was going through certain struggles. However, she realized that there are many more people who share the same struggles, which is why she has decided to talk about them.
Although she has already seen some progress when it comes to the mental health topic and how much it's discussed, she still thinks that people could treat their mental health much better.
"But then you realize that there’s other people that feel the same, and you don’t feel so isolated anymore. So I think it’s important for people to keep talking about it, treat it more like physical health. I think people treat physical health a lot better than mental health."
Since becoming a mother, Osaka also learned a lot about herself. She learned that she's impatient but in a very specific way. Being a mother taught her a bit of patience.
"What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m patiently impatient. Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day."
The four-time major winner also spoke about her daughter, Shai. She revealed that her daughter has a small racket, but she still didn't give her daughter a chance to play the sport that she loves.
"She has a lot of energy, like a lot. I think she’d be a really good tennis player. She’s just the happiest girl. She has a miniature racket, so she does pick that up a lot, but I haven’t put her on a tennis court yet."
Osaka seems to be in a great place at the moment. She isn't afraid to talk openly about her mental health or her ambitions. The 27-year-old player wants to complete a Career Grand Slam, and she will have the first chance to make a step towards that at this year's French Open.
