Naomi Osaka announced on Monday she is withdrawing from the French Open.
The No. 2 tennis player in the world posted a statement on her Twitter feed, explaining her decision, which comes after a day she was fined $15,000 for declining to speak with media after her round 1 victory.
Osaka, who announced a week earlier she would not participate in mandatory media sessions due to her mental health, said in her statement on Monday that she has been battling bouts of depression since the 2018 US Open.
Osaka said she did not want to become a distraction and wished she could have been clearer in her initial messaging, detailing her history of social anxiety.
The French Open and three other Grand Slam tournaments released a joint statement on Sunday announcing Osaka’s fine and threatening further punishment, including possible suspensions.
Osaka said she has since written to the tournament and apologized, saying she would be more than happy to speak with them after the tournament and discuss ways to make things better for players, press and fans.
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