Naomi Osaka reveals she “finally started talking to a therapist” after the four-time Grand Slam champion burst into tears when she was busted in Indian Wells earlier this month.
- Naomi Osaka was brought to tears by Indian Wells criticism before losing
- The Japanese star said that she began to visit a psychotherapist.
- Osaka took two breaks from acting after battling depression
- Osaka won the first round match of the Miami Open on Wednesday.
Naomi Osaka has revealed she is seeing a therapist to avoid another meltdown on the court after she was scared off by a bully in Indian Wells earlier this month.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka lost 6-0, 6-4 to Veronika Kudermetova in Indian Wells after a fan brought her to tears by yelling “Naomi, you suck!” at the start of the match.
The 24-year-old Japanese has previously spoken out about suffering from “prolonged bouts of depression” since winning her first Grand Slam in 2018 and has taken two breaks from the game to cope with the pressure of her fame.
Naomi Osaka was brought to tears after she was massacred in Indian Wells earlier this month.
But after beating Astra Sharma in her first-round match at the Miami Open, Osaka said she was seeking professional help to improve her mental side of her game.
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but after Indian Wells, I finally started talking to a therapist. It’s only been a year since the French Open. [from which Osaka withdrew]Osaka said. “I understand how useful this is. I am glad that there are people around me who prompted me to go in this direction.”
She added, “I feel like I’ve tried a lot of different things because I tend to learn things and I also want to do everything myself.”
Osaka speaks to the press in Miami on Wednesday after winning the first round.
The Japanese woman insists that she is now in a better position to deal with such incidents.
Osaka talked about the influence her coach Wim Fissett had on her decision. ‘[He] kind of put it in a really good way. He said, “You hire a tennis coach, a fitness coach. The mind is such an important thing. If you can hire a professional to help you five percent, that alone is worth it.”
Osaka admitted she was taken aback by the criticism in Indian Wells but insists she is ready if another incident like this occurs.
She said, “I think I sort of thought about the situation in Indian Wells. I understand that I have never been interrupted. I got booed, but not literally. It kind of took me out of my element.
“I feel like I’m ready for it now. I kind of prepared before the match, just knowing that it could happen now. I guess I just needed to change my mindset a bit.”
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