The Churn
Naomi Osaka, like the rest of us, is entitled to take a break
Mike JordanJune 1, 2021
“Ain’t no lovin’ good enough to get burnt while I’m up in it.” — Calvin Broadus
In terms of trending topics, burnout is so hot right now.
As the world reopens after the great 2020 shut-in, the idea of burnout is getting a lot of attention and becoming a growing conversation, not just for Black people but everyone else. Look around and you’ll probably see a recent burnout story in your favorite publication (after Butter).
One place where you might recognize a flickering of burnout is in the recent news of Naomi Osaka leaving the French Open last weekend.
When Naomi Osaka told the world she was withdrawing from Roland-Garros, a.k.a. the French Open, it caused an immediate reaction, and sparked a conversation on mental health.
This was the second public announcement she’d made in under 24 hours relating to the tournament’s media policy and her refusal to adhere to it. Osaka has not given a specific situation that caused her media blackout, pointing instead to her introverted nature. But continuing to do something she didn’t enjoy was enough to cause her to draw a hard line of “no.”
It began with a tweet stating that she simply wasn’t going to do a post-match press conference.
That first tweet could fairly be seen as somewhat indifferent to its reception, with mentions of laughing at being fined, and multiple emojis.
Osaka, like all French Open players, was under contractual obligation to be available to the press, following her matches. By choosing not to show up as she’d apparently agreed on paper, she was in breach of contract, said Roland-Garros, and would be fined, then possibly expelled.
Osaka’s second tweet hit different. It was measured, conciliatory, immediately relatable and defendable.
It was a real admission that even if she should have handled this differently, it didn’t change the fact that she needed a break. And Roland-Garros was reminded that you can’t break up with someone who leaves you first.
I read Osaka’s tweeted explanation and related to it for another reason. If you ask me, her words show that she’s as burned out as the rest of us, but in a way that isn’t easy to understand without explanation.
There’s no official medical condition or scientific definition associated with the word “burnout,” according to the National Library of Medicine. But you can look at a few questions asked by this self-evaluation article on job burnout from the Mayo Clinic and say they could fairly define how Osaka seems to feel.
Maybe it’s not such a great idea to contractually obligate athletes into holding a national press conference immediately after a victory or loss. It seems like something you’d get tired of doing, especially when you’ve just left it all on the court in pursuit of glory.
Osaka says he’s experiencing severe depression, and she knows what’s going on with her better than anyone. But there seems to be legitimate burnout too, particularly when you consider the simple fact that one of the world’s best living tennis players would rather not play a game she dominates — one that’s made her a wealthy celebrity — if it means talking to media when she doesn’t feel like it.
It’s not like she’s the first athlete to not enjoy a press conference.
It’s also not like the fans are treating athletes with respect these days.
And it’s also not like there isn’t a solution.
Anxiety is widespread these days. We live in a demanding society that constantly reminds workers that they are lucky to be employed.
Most of us are not Naomi Osaka, which means we may be expected to consistently exceed expectations, but we don’t have to be live-national-news-ready as soon as we’re done busting down a shift.
But in a way we are all Naomi Osaka, doing our best to keep up appearances as we strive to keep our work up to a high enough level to feel some sense of job security. And along with that pressure, we’re also all still figuring out how to be who we are in a sometimes-hostile environment.
We’re in a labor shortage, which sometimes feels like a new version of a national strike. And this isn’t at all happening at a time when so many folks who were “fortunate” enough to stay more afloat than others feel very much drained.
How many of our friends, family and folks wished they were working but still can’t find employment? Don’t pretend like just having a job doesn’t sometimes feel lucky, and when good fortune can mean the difference between eating and paying bills or not, luck can become survivor’s guilt — a debt too often repaid by working harder in silence in order to show gratitude.
When relief isn’t immediately in reach, sometimes you have to step aside and take a minute, knowing that the show goes on without you. Good for Naomi Osaka for knowing it would all work out, but not being willing to wait around for it to fix itself.
Naomi Osaka woke up this weekend and chose peace by choosing herself. And that may not be good for business, but ultimately what’s good for her is good for the business of tennis.
The French Open now has to save face. Their reaction resulted in a superstar deciding not to participate, and they now appear insensitive and at fault for forcing Osaka’s backhand.
If they can get over this, maybe Osaka can heal in time to be ready to tell us more of what she thinks can be improved in her next Grand Slam appearance. If they need time, that’s understandable too.
Everybody’s tired right now, and most of us are only ready to admit it because it’s becoming too obvious to ignore. Naomi Osaka is tired of being forced into public vulnerability. She doesn’t want to do mandated press conferences right now. So what?
“I thought it was better to exercise self-care.”
Naomi Osaka
It’s ultimately not for any of us to determine what Naomi Osaka needs, or where exactly this is coming from. Some have said (and quickly retracted their statement) that this whole thing is about Osaka’s struggles to play on clay courts. Others, like Serena Williams, say they can absolutely relate to what Osaka is going through.
The fact that she not only decided to pause on press conferences but the entire tournament says to me that she’s tired, and the best thing to do is to extract herself to protect herself. And even without an official definition, that sounds like burnout.
This is not a judgement or a diagnosis. It’s not even really a take. It’s an observation that at some point, you need time for yourself, and there’s no shame in it.
Hopefully she just needs a break and will come back better. If not, she’s got the right to step back and be healthy without us worrying about when she’ll be ready to talk to us.
Tennis great or regular person, we’ve all got to be bold enough to say when we need a break. And if it isn’t given, the only choice is to take the time you need and let everybody say what they want.