Naomi Osaka shocked the tennis world last week when she withdrew from the French Open, citing her bouts of depression and mental health struggles as a reason she could not complete her media obligations.
The 23-year-old attempted to play the tournament without participating in the mandatory press conferences, but the French Open fined her and threatened her with further punishment, including suspension.
It sparked much conversation across the sports landscape about professional athletes and the support they need for their mental health.
Among Osaka’s supporters now includes NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who said he can understand what Osaka is going through.
“Any profession you do, you grow up and practice how to play tennis, you grow up and practice how to race cars,” he told NBC Sports. “Everything else falls into place, talking in front of the media, talking in front of crowds, being a public speaker.
“None of that is practiced. … I can totally relate to what she’s saying. It’s tough for anybody.”
Wallace, who has had to combat racism in a predominantly white sport, has also previously detailed his struggles with depression and mental health challenges over the last few years.
He advocated for others to share what they’re going through and stressed it is not a sign of weakness.
“It’s actually very powerful and encouraging others to speak out and be strong about what they feel,” he said.
Osaka cited bouts of depression she battled since 2018 and being introverted has given her anxiety when faced with speaking to reporters.
“It may come more natural for [some] people, but at the end of the day, it’s still tough,” Wallace said. “It’s something that we’re not comfortable with just because we didn’t practice or learn it growing up.
“It just happens, ‘Oh, by the way, you need to talk to people after you make your qualifying run here.’ ‘Uh, OK.’ I can see where the anxiety builds up. You say one thing wrong, people lash out at you. It definitely puts you in a bad mindset. Definitely can relate on all levels there. Introvert, extrovert. It’s still a tough task to, I guess, be good at or just be comfortable with.”
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