"It does take single-mindedness to get the most out of your ability" - Patrick McEnroe hopes Naomi Osaka takes a cue from Serena Williams and Andre Agassi on finding balance between tennis and mental health

Patrick McEnroe recently weighed in on Naomi Osaka's up-and-down tennis career and her limited appearances on tour. McEnroe hopes Osaka can soon find a balance between taking good care of her mental health and personal goals, while also ensuring she gives her best effort as a tennis player, following in the footsteps of Andre Agassi and Serena Williams in that regard.

Osaka has made it quite clear over the last couple of seasons that her focus is on prioritizing her mental health and personal development, becoming a vocal champion on the same. At the same time, she has missed a lot of time on the pro tennis tour, which has affected her form in the tournaments she has played in. The four-time Grand Slam champion is now down to No. 42 in the rankings and has not won a title since the 2021 Australian Open.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast, McEnroe expressed his views on the uncertainty surrounding Osaka's career, suggesting that he would like to see the 25-year-old be able to manage her personal life and career together, as she belongs among the top players.

"It'd be nice if she could find a balance of what's helping her be a better person in her own mind but also still be a top tennis player," Patrick McEnroe said.

He further suggested how Osaka could take a cue from the likes of Agassi and Williams, who also struggled with self-recognition and stress for some time before devoting their best efforts to becoming top tennis players.

"Once you come to some realization about who you are, Andre Agassi, we know what he went through, and then he came out on the other side. Even Serena, midway through her career, was like, 'I'm gonna be a Hollywood star and I'm gonna do other things.' But then she was like, 'Wait a second, I want to be the best tennis player I can be. What can I do to be the best possible tennis player I can be, while still being healthy mentally?'," continued McEnroe.

"It does take a single-mindedness at some level to get the most out of whatever your ability is. Just watching her as a tennis player, she's got the ability to absolutely be at the top of the game for a long time," the former French Open doubles champion added.

McEnroe also reflected on Naomi Osaka's lengthy break from tennis on mental health grounds, which started with the 2021 French Open controversy. Osaka was fined for refusing to participate in media assignments and press conferences by the French Open, whose decision was supported by the other Majors. McEnroe believes that it affected Naomi Osaka profusely and that she still hasn't completely gotten over it.

"When it first happened at the French Open, I didn't think it was handled well by the FFT and the other Majors supporting her...To be honest, I don't think she (Naomi Osaka) has ever recovered from that. When you look at her results, you see different posts from her, all sort of positive messaging. But at the end of the day, you wonder if the whole process she had to have gone through is not helping her be the best player she can be," the 56-year-old opined.

"While she's a great player, she's not Serena" - Patrick McEnroe on Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka at the 2022 US Open - Day 2.

Patrick McEnroe shed more light on the topic, further opining that Naomi Osaka still has a long way to go to reach the stature of the likes of Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, among others, who were able to pick and choose their time on the tennis court and away from it. McEnroe said that Osaka cannot be a "part-time player" as a youngster, suggesting that she will have to pick between continuing as a full-time tennis player or pursuing other interests, if she also wants to stay at the top of the sport.

"She's so young...maybe you can do that when you do that when you're past 30. Like Serena was able to do and to some extent even Federer, Nadal, all-time greats that have done it for so many years. I don't think you can be a part-time player in your early to mid-20s, or even your late 20s, and be close to the top," McEnroe said on the same.

"While she's a great player, she's not Serena...I don't think that she has the requisite years and time at the top where she can be a part-time player," he added.

Naomi Osaka played just 23 WTA singles matches in the 2022 season, having last played at the Japan Open in September.