In a personal essay for Insider, Naomi Osaka opened up about her accomplishments and again, she highlighted the importance of mental health.
When she withdrew from the Roland Garros last year to focus on her mental wellness, Naomi Osaka made headlines and became a big ambassador for mental health. However, she's also aware of everything she accomplished and in her personal essay, former world number 1 wrote:
"The journey toward prioritizing mental health is complicated, and there is no definitive finish line. As many know, especially professional athletes, there are few conversations around what it means to put your mental health before winning and how challenging it can be. After all, the only "first" we ever strive for is first place."
"Fortunately, I'm surrounded by a network of people who have taught me a valuable lesson during this journey: Confidence and self-assurance are just as valuable as physical skills. Champions need to have a healthy, productive mindset — and that can be learned, just like we learn to serve or shoot in tennis."
"Tennis is an especially mental game. You're a team of one on the court, which means only you can get in your way. That's why I'm lucky to have family, friends, and people I admire that remind me to believe in myself whenever I'm unable to. These are all things that I continue to learn and share openly with others because advocating for mental well-being should be at the forefront of conversations about holistic health."
"I'm proud to have accomplished many historic firsts, such as becoming the first Asian ranked as the No. 1 tennis player in the world, the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title (I've now won four Grand Slams), and the first tennis player to light the torch at the Olympic Games."
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