Naomi Osaka revisits press conference controversy: "I like journalists, it's cool someone cares enough about me to ask questions"

Naomi Osaka recently voiced her liking for journalists during a conversation about her row with the French Open authorities over press conferences in 2021.

In an interaction with Mountaintop Conversations, Osaka opened up about the role of her upbringing to help her courageously deal with the pressure of media after her rise to fame. The Japanese said:

"I kind of have this thing in my head that I say a lot. I always tell myself, 'You're a Haitian, you're not supposed to have any fear.' And it's because my dad is always shouting '1804', which is the Haitian Revolution, so I say that to myself a lot."

Osaka further reflected upon her conduct during press events.

"Growing up in this interview world, I have a very open character so I’m very… Sometimes I say stuff that I shouldn’t say in the press room, and it often gets me into trouble," she said.

"But it’s because I like journalists, I don’t think they know this but I like talking to them and I like clearing their questions and for me, it’s cool that someone cares enough about me to ask me questions like that," she added.

The four-time Grand Slam winner further talked about her limelight and recalled the French Open controversy.

"But slowly as I started becoming more known, there have been people that I feel their energy is to exploit. So I felt myself becoming more closed-off and I felt my character changing and I didn't really like that," Osaka said.

"So at this point when I was thinking 'I need to take a break, but I can't take a break from it because then I'll get fined'. But then I thought I'd rather take the fine than go through that with my energy," she concluded.

At the 2021 French Open, Osaka refused to attend the press conferences, citing mental health concerns. Responding to her actions, the tournament slapped a $15,000 fine on the Japanese player before she withdrew ahead of her second-round match.

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Naomi Osaka produces short film on Haitian female soccer players

Naomi Osaka in action during Miami Open, 2022.

Naomi Osaka has produced a short film titled Footsteps with her production house Hana Kuma. The film highlights the struggles and achievements of Haitian women, who are earning a name for themselves in the world of soccer.

Hana Kuma recently shared the film's first look on social media. Osaka reposted the video on Instagram.

"It means a lot to me that we're able to share stories of Haiti that highlight the beauty of the island and the incredible people that live there. So happy, honored and excited for this @hanakuma," Naomi Osaka wrote.