Grand Slams Plan to 'Create Meaningful Improvements' After Naomi Osaka's Withdrawal

Tennis' four Grand Slam tournaments released a joint statement Tuesday about plans to "create meaningful improvements" to their policies after four-time major champion Naomi Osaka announced Monday she withdrew from the 2021 French Open because of mental health concerns.

Osaka confirmed before the season's second Grand Slam event she didn't plan to take part in mandatory press conferences. She was fined $15,000 after the first round and informed continued absences from the media sessions could lead to her defaulting from the tournament.

The Grand Slam tournaments have made it clear in both of their statements the importance of treating all players the same—which created a difficult balancing act between Osaka saying she wouldn't take part in press conferences while her opponents were still mandated to do so—without sacrificing mental health in the process.

No solution to that core issue was offered in the latest statement, with the four foundational events saying they'd work with "the players, the tours, the media and the broader tennis community" to move toward an answer that satisfies everybody.

Osaka said as part of her decision to withdraw she would be taking "some time away from the court," but she offered to work with the WTA to "make things better for the players, press and fans."

The 23-year-old Japanese star had defeated Patricia Maria Tig in straight sets in the opening round and participated in the on-court interview after the match but skipped the press conference. She was scheduled to face Ana Bogdan in Round 2 before stepping aside.

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, said difficult questions from the media "made me stronger" but stressed the importance of everybody handling their mental health in their own way.

"I feel for Naomi," Williams said Monday. "Not everyone is the same. ... Everyone is different and everyone handles things differently. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to and the best way she thinks she can. That's the only thing I can say: I think she is doing the best she can."

The Grand Slam tournaments didn't provide a timetable for a final determination about future media guidelines.

Wimbledon, the season's third major, is scheduled to begin June 28.