Naomi Osaka is a vocal and passionate advocate for mental health awareness. In a recent interview, the Japanese star described how she thinks the culture around the issue can be changed.
Osaka returned to the WTA Tour this year after being away on maternity leave in 2023. Coming back to professional sport was never going to be easy, and she endured some struggles throughout the season.
However, the four-time Grand Slam champion still defeated players like Jelena Ostapenko and Ons Jabeur during her comeback season and almost upset Iga Swiatek at the French Open after holding a match point to win.
Osaka was among the nominees for the WTA's Comeback Player of the Year. Paula Badosa, who won the Citi Open and reached two WTA 1000 semifinals after being injured for the second half of 2023, won the award.
Although what Osaka achieves on the court is important, the work she does off it is also incredibly valuable. For example, a few years ago, she founded the Play Academy, which promotes the well-being of children through multiple initiatives.
Osaka has also spoken openly about mental health for a few years. The former world No. 1 was treated poorly by some sections of the media in the past when she discussed her issues with mental health.
Yet, that did not stop Osaka. The 27-year-old deserves to be credited for making others feel more comfortable talking about mental health by acting as an inspiration because she opened up about it publicly.
Osaka continues to raise the issue and the factors that can impact mental health. For example, the Two-time US Open winner admits she is still learning how to manage social media abuse from trolls and those who want to cause harm to well-known athletes.
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, Osaka described the historic culture of shame and embarrassment surrounding mental health and outlined what she thinks is the most important factor in changing that.
"That it’s okay to not be okay. I think there’s historically been a lot of shame and embarrassment in these types of things, but there definitely shouldn’t be. We all go through challenges and it’s important to talk about it and help each other through."
"I honestly believe that talking about it and just being more transparent is key to changing the culture around mental health. For so long it felt like it was a subject that wasn’t supposed to be talked about, but I think the more we talk about it, the more we realize how many people are struggling with it."
Osaka also praised the American cosmetics company Maybelline for its 'Brave Together' initiative, which is aimed at supporting those struggling with anxiety and depression.
"Maybelline’s reach and influence are massive. I love what they’ve done in the beauty space and how they’re using their brand voice to make such a positive impact. I hope this Brave Together initiative will provide an outlet for people who are struggling with mental health."
Grigor Dimitrov has also spoken about his mental health struggles and thinks men should be more open with each other when they have a problem.