The tennis champion has been let down by the grand slam organisers who have profited so greatly from her remarkable talent, writes Dr Nicholas Marlowe, while Kate Alley says she owes us no more than a game of tennis and Oli Senior questions the purpose of press conferences
In taking a stand on her mental health by refusing to attend post-match press conferences, Naomi Osaka stands for all of us (Naomi Osaka withdraws from French Open amid row over press conferences, 31 May). We all have issues with mental health by virtue of our humanity. No one is immune. Some of us are lucky enough to have stable upbringings; to encounter supportive teachers and mentors; to find the love of a partner or of friends; to find work in which we thrive; to not be deceived, bullied, doubted, or let down too many times; and some of us are not.
Those of us who are not so lucky must find the courage to ask for help; to make ourselves vulnerable in the hope that we will be listened to, cared for, and valued for who we are. When others respond in these ways, we learn to trust ourselves and to make choices that work for us rather than against us. We recover.
