Naomi Osaka's useful message

Twenty-three-year-old tennis sensation Naomi Osaka topped the sports news of the week for reasons that go far beyond her shining mastery on the court.

The particulars are unique. The Japan-born, former Valley Stream resident announced ahead of the French Open that she would decline to take part in press conferences, a requirement for Grand Slam tournaments. She would absorb the resulting fine, she said, and thus shield herself from the internal torment and distress that these extracurricular performances apparently cause her.

The chain of events that followed led to a movingly personal revelation from Osaka: "The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that."

Whatever conversations had taken place, didn't take place, or should have taken place between Osaka and the French tennis federation, she decided to step aside, saying, "I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris."

"I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept that my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer."

Her withdrawal was palpably gracious. Even more importantly, Osaka issued a very healthy message for the public to hear. Especially after more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, raising consciousness about anxiety and depression and their impact throughout society becomes an important public service.

For good reason, Osaka's statement prompted words of support and praise from fellow and former athletes.

We can take her words and actions constructively, as evidence that people at the height of their craft will sometimes sacrifice pride and glory to confront their own vulnerabilities. The message and her choice are important to hear about.

The innermost workings of another person's mind, soul and emotions are daunting to judge, even for someone trained or intimately familiar with that individual. We can only assess people, most of the time, by how they act, not by what may haunt them.

Press conferences are performances. At best they educate — by eliciting exchanges that can enlighten viewers and readers as to what takes place on the court, which always involves who those players are off the court. At worst they tell us nothing useful — featuring futile questions, canned or absurd responses, and meaningless tensions, just like in politics.

After Osaka walked, things backfired further when Gilles Moretton, president of the French tennis federation, read a statement saying of Osaka: "We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery. We look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year." Ironically, Moretton declined to take questions from news media, exposing the press-conference requirement to be "for thee and not for me."

Fortunately, Osaka's chosen path and public demeanor need no video review to be ruled in bounds.

— The editorial board