- Naomi Osaka famously clashed with French Open leaders over press obligations at the 2021 tournament.
- Roland-Garros organizers say they've made adjustments to player media rules following the scandal.
- French Open director Amelie Mauresmo wanted to show Osaka that "we all have learned in one year."
A year after Naomi Osaka famously clashed with organizers at Roland-Garros over her press obligations at the tournament, the French Open has implemented changes, inspired by the root of the conflict, that ease the mental burden on players.
Just ahead of last year's tournament, Osaka announced that she'd be skipping press conferences for the duration of the event, citing the "huge waves of anxiety" he experienced before speaking to the media.
And when she followed through and skipped the news conference following her first-round win at Roland-Garros, tournament organizers charged her a $15,000 fine. Once Osaka's decision to avoid speaking with reporters became a major point of debate, the Japanese star felt she had become "a distraction" and withdrew from the Grand Slam.
The scandal sparked outrage on all sides, and French Open leadership felt it was important to make sure "we were able to adapt" to player needs, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said during a press conference this week. So instead of mandatory press conferences following every match, Roland-Garros has offered flexibility in the form of mixed-zone media formats and exceptions for players in anguish at this year's event.
"That was because of what happened last year and the fact that she started to talk about feeling bad and everything," Mauresmo confirmed. "It was a reaction to what happened with Naomi [Osaka] and making sure that we would be able to adapt. That was what we wanted."
Mauresmo said that similar situations transpired during this year's tournament, in which stars were not in the proper mental space to participate in press conferences. Instead, they were able to offer a set of quotes to the press instead of sitting at the podium and getting peppered with questions.
A former WTA star herself, Mauresmo understands the player perspective as well as anyone.
"The goal is not to put anyone in a bad position if there is a fragile mental state," the two-time Grand Slam champion said.
Mauresmo said it was "important" for Osaka and the French Open organizers alike to mend wounds opened during last year's tournament. She made it clear that Roland-Garros was prepared to offer more support to its participants — including Osaka — in 2022 than it was the year prior.
"It's different, and we all have learned in one year," Mauresmo said.
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