It is perhaps a tad bit ironic that I’m here writing about Naomi Osaka’s recent pull-out from the French Open due to mental health reasons induced by publicity, but I hope that with the intention of adding to her praise for doing so, that I can be forgiven. 

In case you are in complete denial of the world of sports, of tennis and of mass pop culture, Naomi Osaka, who is now 23 years old, is a modern day legend. A quick recap—she’s a four-time Grand Slam singles champ, the reigning champ of the US Open and Australian Open, and the Women’s Tennis Association’s number one player. But beyond her triumphs in the sport, Naomi has been a big voice to social movements, using her enormous platform and huge following to speak out against racism and also to advocate for mental health. 

The recent withdrawal from the French Open then, despite being the biggest news besides COVID these days, is very Naomi when you think about it. For years, she has established an unfailing pattern of not following decorum just because it’s what’s done and to be her authentic self at all times, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Being Japanese-American-Haitian and playing under Japan, Naomi has dealt with Japanese media putting her ethnicity under the spotlight and questioning her “Japanese-ness”. She has always managed to address and educate the public without compromising herself and without losing favor. At the height of the BLM protests last year, Naomi wore seven different face masks to the US Open bearing the names of seven victims of racial injustice: Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile and Tamir Rice. In addition to the spectacle, she used her social media platforms to speak directly about racism and why change is overdue. And, in relation to mental health, Naomi has been talking publicly about her bouts with depression since at least 2018. 

Now, she’s doing what we know is right but often don’t have the guts to do. That is, actually prioritizing our mental health over the progression of our careers. The message resonates. Fellow great influentials like journalist Lisa Ling and actor Will Smith (just two people I happen to follow on Facebook) have publicly commended Osaka for her decision, and perhaps most validating is vocal support to fellow tennis legend Billie Jean King, who wrote on Twitter: 

"It's incredibly brave that Naomi Osaka has revealed her truth about her struggle with depression. Right now, the important thing is that we give her the space and time she needs. We wish her well."

As the current state of the world pushes our mental health towards or even past its limit, Naomi’s protest is yet again the calmly delivered and crystal-clear reality check we all need. Mental health is as important as any type of wellbeing, with the same fatal consequences if neglected. We may not all be the world’s top athletes or movie stars, but we all have limits and need to set boundaries for ourselves just the same. Because our careers won’t mean anything if we’re not able to appreciate it.