Billie Jean King Delicately Reminds Naomi Osaka Of 'Responsibility' To Press
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"The media still play an important role in the telling of our story," the former tennis great tweeted of the superstar's decision to refuse interviews.
Former tennis great and activist Billie Jean King gingerly reminded press-boycotting superstar Naomi Osaka on Sunday that players “have a responsibility to make ourselves available to the media.” Osaka, who has advanced to the second round of the French Open, announced last week that she would not participate in press interviews at the Grand Slam event to help protect her mental health. She skipped the press conference following her first-round victory, incurring a $15,000 fine and a threat of tournament suspension. “I fully admire and respect what Naomi is doing with her platform, so I am a little torn as I try to learn from both sides of this situation,” King began a note posted to Twitter, before bringing up the positive impact the press has had on tennis. “In our day, without the press, nobody would have known who we are or what we thought. There is no question they helped build and grow our sport to what it is today.”More Related News