Naomi Osaka was fined $ 15,000 on the French Open for leaving the post-match information convention following her first-round win on Sunday – and threatened with stiff penalties by all 4 Grand Slam tournaments if she She continues to keep away from assembly with the media.
The positive will come from Osaka’s prize cash and was introduced in a joint assertion by French tennis federation president Gilles Moreton and heads of different massive firms.
Osaka returned to Roland Garros after the final time he left the journey, delivering a mistake-filled 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over 63rd-ranked Patricia Maria Tig on the Court Philippe Chatier on the primary day in Paris.
After the French Open in 2020 was pushed to a September Corona outbreak due to a begin with a restrict of 1,000 spectators per day, issues have been nearer to regular than Sunday: it kissed in a sunny May day and greater than 5,000 followers in permission was granted.
The different outcomes have been most likely extra new than the straight-set victory by second-ranked Osaka – that is actually the case for US Open champion and two-time French Open runner-up Dominic Thiem 4-6, 5-7, 6-. The 3, 6-4, 6-4 misplaced to the 68th-ranked Pablo Andujar – however the occasions that adopted the Japanese famous person’s match have been very fascinating.
That’s as a result of Osaka swore in a Twitter put up on Wednesday, after which fulfilled that promise on Sunday, to keep away from the norm back-and-forth with the media in Paris, the way in which athletes in numerous sports activities would work Yes, that undoubtedly occurs. She framed it as a psychological well being problem, saying that it creates self-doubt to reply questions after a loss.
Grand Slam tournaments require gamers to attend information conferences if requested to take action; Refusal may be fined as much as $ 20,000.
Of course, that is no large deal for Osaka, the world’s highest-paid feminine athlete because of endorsement contracts value tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} a yr.
“It’s her own choice. I think she’s capable of making her choice and obviously she’ll always do what’s best for her,” Tig stated.
“I think that’s what’s happening now. He likes to do what he loves.”
The Grand Slam event assertion stated Osaka “has been advised that if she continues to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she will expose herself to the consequences of potential code of conduct violations.”
Citing the rulebook, the assertion said that “strict violations from repeat violations could result in disqualification from the tournament and include the trigger of a major crime investigation leading to more substantial fines and future grand slam suspensions. It is possible.”
Osaka’s agent didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from AP on Sunday.
The entire factor didn’t imply that Osaka was in a position to fully keep away from any questions on his issues enjoying on purple clay. She went forward with a pleasing alternate with on-court interviewers who ask softball questions in order that the viewers can hear one thing from the match winners.
In that dialog with former participant Fabrice Santoro, who’s hardly a journalist and kindly provided to assist Osaka with the flowers provided by the event, the topic of the occasion’s floor actually got here to the fore.
Osaka’s Grand Slam titles have come on onerous courts solely. She has gained the Australian Open twice, together with this yr and the US Open twice, together with final yr, however has by no means progressed past the third spherical of the French Open.
“I would say it’s a work in progress,” Osaka stated of her recreation on clay.
“Hopefully, the more I play, the better.”
Osaka confirmed how Sunday: Controlling the factors along with his attacking recreation. He gained 31 out of 35 factors when his first serve included 39 winners – greater than double Tig’s 18.
Thiem by no means misplaced within the first spherical in eight Roland Garros appearances and made it to the finals twice earlier than shedding to Rafael Nadal in 2018 and 2019.
Andujar, who defeated Roger Federer on clay in Geneva this month, had by no means gained a match after lacking the primary two units.
Another earlier Grand Slam champion, three-time title winner and former No. 1 Angelique Kerber, was defeated 6-2, 6-4 by qualifier Angelina Kalinina of Ukraine, who completed 139th and made her event debut.
Roland Garros thus stays the one Grand Slam title Kerber has not gained: She was the champion on the Australian Open and US Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2018.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
