Matchpoint for Mental Health?

When Roland Garros punished Naomi Osaka, brands were quick to show their support for the tennis player. While the Grand Slam scored a double foul, Calm, the wellbeing app, scored an ace!

Do high-performing athletes also have the right to a break in the routine? Do we protect people enough from the cause and consequences of bad mental health?

This week clearly, there was a very high net between both sides of the field.

On one side the Grand Slam association and their statement after Naomi Osaka quitted Roland Garros who published a statement where they considered Osaka was getting an unfair advantage:
” As a sport there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honour their commitments. “

On the other side, there was Osaka herself, her sponsors, and brands who do not have any affiliation with the player but decided to voice their opinion in her favor. Including Calm, who ran a greatly timed campaign and offered to donate the value of any fines to Laureus, a French organization that help young people overcome mental health issues through sport.

Calm @calm

Mental health is health. 🎾 To support Naomi Osaka’s decision to prioritize her mental health, Calm is donating $15,000 to @LaureusSport in France, an organization doing incredible work in the mental health space to transform the lives of young people through the power of sport.

The overwhelming support given to Osaka and the success of campaigns made by brands such as Nike, Mastercard, or Sweetgreen have increased the interest in the subject even further.

CNN @CNN

"Our thoughts are with Naomi. We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience." Nike has come out in support of tennis star Naomi Osaka following her decision to withdraw from the French Open.

cnn.itNike backs Naomi Osaka after she withdraws from French OpenFour-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, citing concerns about her mental health. CNN’s Christine Brennan says it could have been avoidable if the focus was on mental health and not Osaka refusing to speak with the media.

sweetgreen @sweetgreen

Our partnership with @naomiosaka is rooted in wellness in all its forms. We support her in furthering the conversation around mental health and are proud to have her part of the sweetgreen team.

Mastercard News @MastercardNews

As a Mastercard Ambassador, Naomi Osaka's decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being. We support her and admire her courage to address important issues, both on and off the court.

With tv ratings and media credentials requests dropping, did Osaka’s decision and the Grand Slam response started the end of the classical press conference format in sport?