Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on Monday and wrote on Twitter that she would be taking a break from competition, a tense situation for a four-time Grand Slam champion who said she experiences “huge waves of anxiety” before speaking to the media and revealed she has “suffered long bouts of depression.”

The 23-year-old Japanese star was fined $15,000 on Sunday and threatened with disqualification after she refused to attend a mandatory news conference following her first round win. Osaka said she had decided against taking part in any media activity to safeguard her mental health.

Following the withdrawal of Naomi, French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton admitted Monday he "was sorry and sad" that Naomi Osaka had decided to withdraw from Roland Garros.

Serena Williams when asked about her rival said, she sympathises with Osaka. "The only thing I feel is that I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it's like". It is also notable that Serena had lost to Naomi in the controversial 2018 US open.

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— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021