Corporate Sponsors Back Naomi Osaka On Her French Open Withdrawal

Tennis star Naomi Osaka received unequivocal support from her corporate sponsors, including Nike Inc. NKE and Mastercard MA following her decision to withdraw from the French Open after refusing to participate in the tournament’s press conferences.

What Happened: Last Wednesday, Osaka, the world’s number two ranked tennis player, announced on Twitter TWTR that she would not participate in the press conferences, citing the mental health strain of answering reporters’ questions. She joked that she hoped “the considerable amount that I get fined for this will go to a mental health charity.”

The tournament, also known as Roland Garros, fined her $15,000 for not speaking to the media after her first-round match on Sunday. Osaka withdrew from the tournament on Monday, stating she suffered from “long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018” and that she experiences “huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media.”

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Why It's Important: Osaka is the world’s highest paid female athlete, earning $55.2 million during the past 12 months, according to the sports business website Sportico. Much of her income derived from sponsorship deals with U.S. and Japanese companies.

Nike, which has sponsored Osaka since 2019, issued a statement that said, "Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience."

Mastercard, which also signed Osaka in 2019, praised the tennis star for speaking frankly about her mental health.

"Naomi Osaka's decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being," Mastercard said. "We support her and admire her courage to address important issues, both on and off the court."

Among Osaka’s Japanese corporate sponsors, Nissin Food Products Co. weighed in, stating, "We pray for Ms Naomi Osaka's earliest recovery, and wish her continue success."

And Nissan Motor Company Ltd. NSANY was also supportive, stating, "We stand by her decision and wish her well."

(Photo of Naomi Osaka by Rob Prange / Flickr Creative Commons.)