Sport2 min(s) read
Published 14:04 04 Sep 2021 GMT
Tennis star Naomi Osaka revealed she will stay away from the circuit after crashing out of the US Open on Saturday, September 4.
The defending champion, 23, served for her third round match against Leylah Fernandez, however fell short.
Osaka ultimately let the match slip as she lost 5-7, 7-6, 6-4.
The end result saw the tennis ace lose her cool, during which she threw her racket on the ground as well as shout in frustration.
When asked why she threw her racket at her post-match press conference, Osaka said, per Sky News: "Yeah I’m really sorry about that.
"I’m not really sure why [I did it]. I felt like I was pretty [calm], I was telling myself to be calm, but I feel like maybe there was a boiling point.
"Normally I feel like I like challenges, but recently I feel very anxious when things don’t go my way and I feel like you can feel that."
Osaka revealed that her most recent match has made her realize she may benefit from another break from the sport.
"I feel for me recently... when I win I don’t feel happy," Osaka said in an emotional session with the media.
"I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don’t think that’s normal."
She added: "Basically I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match.
"But I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while."
Back in May, Osaka withdrew from the French Open after saying that interview with journalists after matches caused her stress.
She also missed Wimbledon in July. She returned to action at the Tokyo Olympics.
She kickstarted the discussion surrounding mental health, and how important it is to care for it. Other athletes have spoken out in defense of the tennis star, with Olympic champion Simone Biles taking a break during the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her own mental health.
