Naomi Osaka Issues Defiant Response To Those Who Call Her 'Mentally Weak'

Naomi Osaka sent a message to those who deride her as mentally weak, calling them a source of amusement.

Osaka has inspired millions of fans worldwide with her blistering style of tennis. The level she produced during her four Grand Slam title runs, two at the Australian Open and two at the US Open, was some of the best hard-court tennis ever seen in the women's game.

The Japanese star's off-court work also influences many. That includes being candid about her mental health struggles off the court and learning how to manage them in life and during the grueling tennis calendar.

Last year, Osaka admitted she is still learning how to deal with social media abuse despite being a tennis player for so many years. All top players face online hatred, but it can be especially pronounced for WTA players.

Osaka responded to being called mentally weak in a post on X (formerly Twitter), although it is unclear whether the 27-year-old referred to online haters or those who made the comment face-to-face.

The post drew quick responses from Osaka's many followers. Some asked who she was referring to, some expressed concern about her suddenly releasing such a post, while many others expressed support and said she was not mentally weak.

Those accusing Osaka of mental weakness are undoubtedly incorrect. Coming back from mental health issues and being on maternity leave to compete on the WTA Tour takes a significant amount of courage.

Conceptions of mental toughness should not just be reduced to battling through lengthy matches to win tournaments or make career progressions, although those cases are undoubtedly examples of toughness in action.

Players being willing to admit they have problems and speaking about them openly is also something to be admired. Osaka had many challenging results in her first year back since returning from maternity leave, but she kept working to improve.

The former WTA world No. 1's level has improved this season. She reached the final of the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, her first final since the 2022 Miami Open. Sadly, Osaka had to retire after the first set because of an abdominal injury.

Osaka followed that with impressive wins at the 2025 Australian Open against Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova before succumbing to her abdominal injury once again in the third round against Belinda Bencic.

The four-time Grand Slam champion's most recent match was in the round of 16 at the 2025 Miami Open against Jasmine Paolini. Despite playing excellently for long periods, Osaka lost a tight match in three sets.

Although Osaka has not thrived on clay as much as on hard courts, her performance against Iga Swiatek at the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros shows that she could cause some damage during this time of the season.

The four-time champion in Paris was match point down after an extraordinary display of powerful hitting from Osaka, but Swiatek miraculously recovered from that position and went on to win the title.