Osaka on French Open interviews: No comment

If Osaka really does suffer from an actually diagnosed mental-health condition, one that she's willing to address and speak about at least as openly as she is able to do so, this could be actually be a watershed opportunity for good, and goodwill, on her part -- both for herself and for any others who might benefit from it.

 

So she experiences huge waves of anxiety before press conferences.....does she before a match?
Is it just speaking?
There are a helluva lot more people in the stands and watching on television that are paying more attention than anything during a press conference.

 

I wonder if she considers the mental toughness of enduring a presser much worse than overcoming her opponent – from a mental point of view, anyway.

Then I wonder if she really doesn't factor in that there is a mental aspect to her opponent. I suspect she sees beating her opponent as a largely, if not entirely, physical prospect. Or maybe it's at the conclusion of those matches that her anxiety skyrockets because that presser looms ahead.

It's not that I agreed with her tact of trying to ice the media at Roland Garros. I didn't and I don't. But, IF she ever becomes comfortable enough to open up about the process down the road, she could do a massive service for her fellow competitors and perhaps the media, too.

 

When I was a sophomore at Wesleyan in the spring of 1969. Joni Mitchell appeared for one of her first US concerts. Now, here was a genius of popular music facing an audience of college boys who were there to adore her and worship at her feet. Yet Mitchell was so obviously consumed with stage fright I was very uncomfortable for her and it affected my enjoyment of her performance, since it seemed like a torture to her from where I sat. Obviously, she got over it in time, but we don't know what's going on in the minds and souls of the supertalented and when they say something is causing them pain, I tend to believe them.

 

Any anyone who has beaten Serena Williams in a grand slam final and won three other slams is mentally tough, so her premise is bullshit. She just doesn't want to do pressers. Just come out and say it. She marginalizes people with actual mental health issues.
Sorry. I know this isn't the PC thing to say. But my opinion.

 

It's different when this happens in a team sport. There were 52 other guys to interview with the Seahawks.

 

Now do Zach Greinke, Khalil Greene, and Tony Horton. Three pussies.

 

I believe it, too. Genesis lost an original guitarist, Anthony Phillips, to stage fright. Tried to fight it for three months believing that it, too, shall pass. Then also developed bronchial pneumonia and left the band. Was lost for months.

 

Mental health expert right here.

Some of the best athletes around have suffered from crippling depression, but because she has beat Serena she must be fine.

 

Listen tennis is a sport of psychologically stable folks like Andre Agassi and Jennifer Capriati, and we should just keep doing things the same way we've always done them because that's the way we've always done them.

 

OK, you’re in charge of changing it. Go for it. What’s a better way of doing media at Grand Slam tournaments.

 

Good question.