I wonder if Osaka has just been advised badly, or if she made her stance as a knee jerk reaction to something.
Both tennis tours are really hot on medical support for the players.
Behind the scenes there are so many services available to them. The WTA could have supported Osaka if she’d talked it through with them first, and maybe quietly made a medical case for some adjustments for her?
However, it’s tricky, when she has to engage with all aspects of the media to comply with her sponsorship contracts.
The arbitrary announcement has meant that the story has now run away with itself, and social media has done the rest.
Every player is being asked to comment on Osaka’s position, which I’m sure is an additional stress NONE of them need.
Say the wrong thing nowadays, and appear anything less than 100% behind her decision and you will end up being cancelled, called a racist, a misogynist or any number of horrible labels.
Billie Jean King made a number of very wise comments in a tweet yesterday. She obviously rates Osaka, but also gently reminded everyone how much her generation had to fight to get ANY media attention for Women’s Tennis, and how the tour could only grow with that engagement.
There could certainly be overall improvements in the ‘press conference’ arena. For example, it’s virtually inhuman to expect players to schlep into press at 2 or 3 am when they’ve been in an epic night match in Australia! Especially for the winner whose preparation for the next round should have some priority.
jourdain I see the FFT President has just called his own press conference to comment on the withdrawal... this story is eating itself!