Osaka Opens Up On How Ballet Coach Helps Her Avoid 'Breakdowns' On Court
WTA
Naomi Osaka has enlisted the services of choreographer Simone Elliot, who she says also serves as her mental health coach.
Osaka has been open about her struggles with depression in the past and took an indefinite break from the sport in 2021, shortly after withdrawing from the French Open, in order to focus on her mental health.
The Japanese tennis star is currently in New York, where she will participate in her eighth US Open main draw, her first since returning from maternity leave in early 2024.
Osaka is a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows. She won her first Grand Slam there in 2018 by beating the legendary Serena Williams. She added her second US Open title in 2020 with a comeback win over Victoria Azarenka in the final.
Her last two trips to the Big Apple have not gone to plan. She was knocked out in the third round of the 2021 US Open by eventual finalist Leylah Fernandez and suffered the humiliation of losing the first round in her most recent appearance in 2022 to Danielle Collins.
This year, Osaka has posted an 18-16 record with mixed results. The scant consolation is that her ranking is finally heading upward. She has re-entered the Top 100, although she needed a wild card to play in the main draw this week.
And she doesn't have the kindest of openers as the four-time Grand Slam champion is pitted against 10th seed and last year's quarterfinalist Jelena Ostapenko right out of the gate.
Before the match, Osaka recently revealed that she has been working with a ballet coach who helps her deal with her mental health issues during tennis matches.
"I’m really grateful for her. We do have journaling sessions. She’s actually the one that told me to get my little journal book that I read on court sometimes. It is kind of more casual, but I think it’s just because she knows that’s the type of person I am."— Osaka said in her US Open pre-tournament press conference
In tennis, subtle demands can require multiple coaches with experience just to help the players feel comfortable on the court. This explains why Osaka has gone the extra mile to incorporate ballet lessons as part of her daily routine.
The 26-year-old opened up about how she was psychologically overwhelmed before her first-round qualifying match at the Cincinnati Open two weeks ago and needed an uplifting talk with her ballet coach, which improved her focus and enabled her to win the match against Anna Blinkova.
"I remember in Cincinnati the day before my qualifying match, I was having a really hard time and an hour before the match I asked if I could talk to her. We talked it through. Then obviously I was able to win the match, and I felt pretty good after that."
"So you know me, I have had these moments where I have kind of had a breakdown on court. I feel like if I didn’t talk to her, that possibly could have happened again in that moment."
Latest Comments
- Kyrgios will do anything to stay in the news.shirley19-12-2024
- A technical error.
MrMustard18-12-2024 - All that is said , all that is done. Nick has 0 grand slams wins. Everything else is hot 🥵 air.MrMustard18-12-2024
- All that is said , all that isMrMustard18-12-2024
- Kyrgios is a jerk.shirley17-12-2024
- If Jessica Pegula had to undergo such horror for using a bannes substance, so do these two tennis players. Penalty should apply to all players regardless of their excuses. They are professionals and know better!!
Stella112-12-2024 - All players should be treated the same for taking banned substances, if your no 1 in the world or no 300 man or woman you should not be allowed to keep playing,,VPH108-12-2024
- Ah, censored again. No one gets to read my comment. LOLjjluvsports08-12-2024
- Reynolds, could you list all the wars started by the U.S. and U.K., or will you run out of paper? Hypocrisy.jjluvsports06-12-2024
- IDK, it looks like to me that Raducanu should praise herself and her team for 'gaming the system' as in playing the points and ranking game. When you look at her season of wild cards, skipping tournaments (including the Paris Olympics!), retiring from losing matches and avoiding qualifying rounds, it seems like there was some plan to move up the ranks without actually playing a lot of tennis. And it worked! Congrats!RealityCheckers04-12-2024