The tennis legend has responded to Naomi Osaka's refusal to do press conference, encouraging her to reconsider her stance as media plays an important role in sports.
- May 31, 2021
AceShowbiz - Tennis legend Billie Jean King has urged Naomi Osaka to consider how important the media is for the women of sport after the world number two refused to take part in press conferences at the French Open.
Osaka was fined and threatened with disqualification after failing to show for a post-match media session following her first round win on Sunday (30May21), and on Monday she withdrew from the tournament because she didn't want her decision to distract from the competition on the court.
The Japanese-American star announced her plan to boycott press conferences at the French Open last week, revealing they made her feel anxious.
Several players have offered their support while reminding Osaka that press interviews are part of the sport, and King has now offered her opinion, telling the 23 year old to remember how important the media is for sportswomen.
"I fully admire and respect what Naomi is doing with her platform, so I am a little torn as I try to learn from both sides of this situation. In our day, without the press, nobody would have known who we are or what we thought. There is no question they helped build and grow our sport to what it is today."
"I acknowledge things are very different now with social media and everyone having an immediate ability to speak their truth. The media still play an important role in telling our story. There is no question that the media needs to respect certain boundaries. But at the end of the day it is important that we respect each other and we are in this together."
