Novak Djokovic hails "brave" Naomi Osaka after RG withdrawal, but says Grand Slams' response to her media boycott was not surprising

Novak Djokovic kickstarted his bid for a second Roland Garros title with a straight-sets victory over Tennys Sandgren on Tuesday to advance to the second round.

Speaking to the media after the match, Novak Djokovic offered his support to Naomi Osaka following the Japanese's shock revelation about her mental health struggles.

Naomi Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros in controversial circumstances earlier this week, having earlier announced that she would skip all press conferences at the event to protect her mental health.

In a statement announcing her withdrawal, the Japanese also disclosed that she had been suffering from depression since the 2018 US Open and that she would now take an indefinite break from tennis.

When asked to weigh in on the matter, Novak Djokovic said Osaka was 'very brave' to take the step that she did.

“I support her. I think she was very brave to do that. I’m really sorry that she is going through painful times and suffering mentally," Novak Djokovic said. “This was, I must say, a very bold decision from her side."

Novak Djokovic added that Osaka could use the time off the court to recharge her batteries and come back feeling fresh.

"If she needs to take time and reflect and just recharge that’s what she needed to do, and I respect it fully. I hope that she’ll come back stronger."

Osaka's decision to withdraw came after she was fined $15,000 by the French Open and threatened with exclusion from Roland Garros as well as future Grand Slam tournaments for skipping her press conference after her first-round match on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic said he was not surprised by the stance adopted by the Grand Slams in response to Osaka's media boycott.

“The Grand Slams are protecting themselves and their own business," said Djokovic. “Of course they are going to follow the rules and they are going to make sure that you are complying. Otherwise you’ll be paying fines and getting sanctioned. It’s not surprising to me that that was their reaction."

Naomi Osaka grew up with social media and the ability to speak out through her channels: Novak Djokovic

During the press conference, Novak Djokovic also highlighted how the sport had changed in terms of the way athletes interact with fans.

"It used to be the (traditional media) was the only way we can reach out to our fans, right, in the last five years or maybe 10 years, it’s not the case anymore," said Djokovic. “We have our own platforms, our own social media accounts through which we are able to communicate directly with fans."