Naomi Osaka has to reset everything: or is tennis no longer a priority?

"For me every defeat is a disappointment but I feel that today's defeat is a really different one and this disappointment sucks more than the others. The pressures on me here were so many but I am at my first Olympics and in the end the truth is that I don't I was able to handle the pressure. "

With these words Naomi Osaka commented on the sensational defeat at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics against Czech Marketa Vondrousova, eventual finalist on the women's singles. Just when things seemed to be for the best and there seemed to be only positive implications, the Olympic dream of the Japanese champion who won the Australian Open 2021 and 4 Slams ends early.

She played at home in her Tokyo and everyone was waiting for a medal from her, to redeem the criticism that came after Roland Garros and the whole case related to mental health problems and the relationship with the media.

As expected, given the latest and most recent circumstances, the Japanese tennis player did not appear in the press conference and few statements appeared to the media after her surprising knockout, all released immediately after the end of the match.

Naomi Osaka has to reset everything: or is tennis no longer a priority?

And the watershed of the season in Osaka, which immediately started her great with the victory in Melbourne, risks being Roland Garros, with all the consequences of her. Like choosing not to play Wimbledon.

Protagonist of social battles, contested by magazines and sponsors, Naomi has now become an icon of sport, social commitment and fashion. Perfect mix, in a miraculous balance between strength and fragility, which, however, can only be complete if she manages to reset what has happened in recent months and return with the right mentality om the court. Of course, always if tennis is a priority for her. If not, there will obviously be a lot of speeches to be made.

Because between the pressure management, the covers, the social commitments and the court, Naomi has always juggled well, but today something is broken. Osaka will have to demonstrate all her winning mentality to be competitive and to win titles and tournaments.

She will be the first to figure out what to do for her future. it is right to respect her decisions, although press conferences have always existed in sport, they are part of the game. If tennis is still the priority, it will be necessary to start from scratch, from the desire to court and to hit the ball. If tennis is no longer a priority, she is an icon, she will have time and space to do whatever she wants.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3xhsyZD