Facing the media could be ‘very unpleasant’ however it’s a part of tennis, stated world primary Novak Djokovic, as debate continued to rage on Friday over Naomi Osaka`s decision to boycott press conferences on the French Open. Women’s world quantity two Osaka shocked the tennis world when she introduced she wouldn’t do any press conferences on the Grand Slam to defend her psychological well being, prompting criticism from French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton.
Djokovic stated Osaka, “probably (had) her reasons why” however fell wanting endorsing the four-times Grand Slam champion’s transfer. “I understand that press conferences sometimes can be very unpleasant,” Djokovic advised reporters after beating Federico Coria 6-1, 6-0 to attain the Belgrade Open semi-finals on Thursday (May 27). “And it’s not one thing that you just take pleasure in, all the time, you understand, particularly should you lose a match or one thing like this. But it’s a part of the game and a part of your life on the tour. This is one thing we’ve got to do, in any other case, we’ll get fined.
“I mean, that’s at least the case on the men’s side. I don`t know about the rules on the women`s side. So that’s all I can say.”
According to Grand Slam guidelines, gamers should attend post-match media conferences inside half-hour of their match ending or be topic to fines of up to $20,000 until injured or bodily unable to seem. Serbian Djokovic has fallen foul of the rule, receiving a superb of $7,500 after skipping media following his disqualification from the 2019 US Open for hitting a ball right into a line decide’s throat.
Retired Australian professional-turned-media pundit Sam Groth stated Osaka’s boycott was a ‘slap in the face’ to the game and stated reducing off journalists whereas remaining engaged on social media was ‘hypocrisy’.
“Media conferences are attended by accredited members of the media, many of whom have established meaningful rapports with players,” he wrote in a column in Melbourne`s Herald-Sun newspaper on Friday. “Social media platforms are a bottomless void of trolls and bots who are answerable to no-one and have few policies of decency.”
Osaka drew help from British tennis participant and BBC commentator Naomi Broady, who stated officers might take a look at modifying the foundations for obligatory media conferences. “If it was just more time after that big loss, so that you can compose yourself and digest and cry out of the spotlight … ,” she stated.
“If it’s on an occasion when you are so upset it’s difficult that you’re almost forced by the rules to do it so quickly.”
Former world primary doubles participant Rennae Stubbs, an ESPN commentator, additionally backed Osaka, tweeting that it was ‘an amazing moment’ for the media to pay attention to the gamers and perceive ‘how tough it is for many of them’.
