Naomi Osaka and the Changing Power Dynamics in Sports

With relatively few words, she said a lot as she bowed out of the French Open on her terms, reflecting the growing empowerment of athletes.

Thirteen sentences. That’s all we got from Naomi Osaka as she bowed out of the French Open on Monday after causing a ruckus over her plan to skip post-match news conferences. She did not speak those sentences. They were posted on her Instagram account. Nor did she provide anything like deep explanation. A global icon at age 23, Osaka left unclear when she would return to the women’s tour. She revealed for the first time that she had struggled with depression since beating Serena Williams in a controversy-cloaked final at the United States Open in 2018.