For most of the 20th century, mental health has been a topic virtually ignored in sports. The mental health and well-being of athletes have been pushed aside as if it were an inconvenience. But, with athletes like Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, and Naomi Osaka coming forward recently about their struggles with mental health, there is now hope for greater awareness surrounding mental health in today’s world. Mental health is becoming a serious focal point for many athletes, especially those paying it forward through outreach programs to help others struggling with mental illness. In acknowledging this evolution in sports, it is vital to understand where the recent surge for change began.
On September 9th, 2018, at the US Open Tennis Championship, during the final match of the Women’s Singles, an interview was conducted on ESPN by Jim Gray with both contestants Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams. The players had just finished playing some spectacular rallies on the court and getting into significant exchanges on-court between each other and Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou which resulted in Williams being handed a game penalty late in the second set. Towards the end of the second set, Williams lost her temper. She smashed her racquet on the court, resulting in a point penalty and another code violation for “verbally abusing” umpire Carlos Ramos resulting in a game penalty and costing Serena Williams to lose that match.
In the interview conducted by Gray with both players after their match, he asked Osaka how she felt about Serena’s outburst and if it affected her play. It was at this point where Osaka started crying, and no one understood why, including viewers at home who saw nothing wrong with Gray’s question or Naomi’s response. This event sparked speculation from many people asking what made Naomi cry during the post-match interview; some even accused Jim Gray of “bullying” Osaka. Osaka’s emotions came not because of Gray’s question but about something else entirely.
The response from Osaka is where mental health awareness began to place its foot forward for athletes struggling with mental health issues. Mental health had been set ablaze in the tennis world, as players were worried that what happened to Naomi before her US Open finals appearance may have been triggered by Serena’s outburst during the match. Outside attention began being drawn towards Naomi Osaka and understanding why she broke down during an interview after winning one of the most prestigious championships in all sports.
Mental health in sports has become a more widely accepted topic of discussion due to Osaka’s actions, and more media outlets are beginning to pay attention to the reports of mental illness among athletes. Mental health is also becoming a focal point on a literal playing field, from youth leagues up through semi-professional and professional levels beginning to hire Mental Health Coordinators to evaluate the conditions and well-being of athletes such as Drew Robison, the newly appointed Mental Health Coordinator for the San Francisco Giants. These actions are changing sports for the better by creating awareness, reducing stigma, impacting the lives of other people struggling with similar issues, and helping athletes struggling with mental illness issues.
Naomi Osaka has since returned from her mental health break. She is currently progressing through the current US Open tournament as we speak. Osaka is just one of many athletes who have recently brought new attention to mental health awareness and its effects on sports and all aspects of athletes’ lives. Mental health matters. And The Varsity Chronicle is excited to watch how athletes navigate this new awareness, and we can continue to Namoi’s and other’s footsteps to bring positive attention and change to sports.
