Osaka's blunt message for tennis critics

Defending champion Naomi Osaka says she tin nary longer "burden" herself with the expectations of others, up of the opening time of the US Open.

The satellite No.2 volition statesman her quest for a 5th expansive slam rubric successful New York against Czech subordinate Marie Bouzková astatine the venue wherever she won her first, a triumph implicit Serena Williams that is amended remembered for Williams' meltdown than Osaka's win.

The events of that fortnight thrust Osaka firmly into the planetary spotlight, a signifier wherever she is intelligibly uncomfortable.

Earlier this twelvemonth she announced she would not enactment successful mandatory media conferences successful the interests of her intelligence health, earlier she withdrew from Roland Garros anterior to her 2nd circular match. She's present admitted she did "a batch of things wrong" successful Paris.

Naomi Osaka lights the cauldron astatine the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty)

She besides skipped Wimbledon, earlier returning for the Tokyo Olympics.

Her archetypal media league successful 3 months ended successful tears successful Cincinnati, and she was forced to instrumentality a little break, aft a newsman suggested she utilized the media to her advantage, contempt shying distant from media conferences.

Ahead of the US Open, Osaka said she's trying to instrumentality a much affirmative outlook into the tournament.

"Recently I've been asking myself wherefore bash I consciousness the mode I do, and I realise 1 of the reasons is due to the fact that internally I deliberation I'm ne'er bully enough," she wrote connected societal media.

"I've ne'er told myself that I've done a bully occupation but I bash cognize I perpetually archer myself that I suck oregon I could bash better."

Naomi Osaka during her nonaccomplishment to Marketa Vondrousova astatine the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty)

Osaka said for excessively agelong she's disquieted astir however she's perceived by others.

"I conjecture what I'm trying to accidental is that I'm gonna effort to observe myself and my accomplishments more, I deliberation we each should.

"Your beingness is your ain and you shouldn't worth yourself connected different people's standards.

"I cognize I springiness my bosom to everything I tin and if that's not bully capable for immoderate past my apologies, but I can't load myself with those expectations anymore."

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