Tennis champion Naomi Osaka opened up to fans about her ongoing struggles with her inner self in a letter she posted on her social media pages on Sunday.
Naomi Osaka: ‘I feel like I’m not good enough’
The 23-year-old introduced mental health as an important conversation in sport when she controversially bowed out from press duties at Wimbledon in June.
Taking to Notes in reflection over events of the past year, Osaka admitted that “internally, I think I’m never good enough.”
“I’ve never told myself that I’ve done a good job but I do know that constantly tell myself that I suck or I could do better. I know in the past some people have called me humble but if I really consider it I think I’m extremely self-deeprecating,” she wrote.
Osaka swore to take on a new attitude ahead of challenges and triumphs that lie ahead.
I’m gonna try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more. I think we all should. You got up in the morning and didn’t procrastinate on something? Champion. Figured something out at work that’s been bugging you for a while? Absolute legend,” she added.
US Open: Who’s Osaka facing?
The 23-year-old will, on Tuesday, return to the tennis court for the first time since the controversies of June.
Without Serena Williams who bowed out of this year’s US Open with an injury, the next two weeks will be crucial for third seed Osaka.
On Monday, the 23-year-old will defend her title against Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzkova.
Osaka’s fixture against Bouzkova is scheduled to take place in the wee hours of Tuesday 31 August 2021, at 01:30 to be exact.
South Africans can catch all the US Open action on DStv.
