"World wants people to be authentic, but when they are, they bitch about it" - Former USTA Chair on Naomi Osaka's media approach

Former USTA Chair and President Katrina Adams believes four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka should refrain from sharing her thoughts so freely with the media.

Adams is a former top-10 doubles player and ended her career with 21 WTA doubles titles. Since her retirement in 1999, she has gone on to serve as a high-level tennis executive and administrator. She was president and CEO of the United States Tennis Association and chair of the US Open.

Osaka, meanwhile, has had a controversial few months on and off the court. After her third-round loss at the US Open, Osaka broke down in tears and said she may take a break from the sport. That came on the back of her withdrawal from the French Open and Wimbledon earlier in the year over mental health concerns.

In an interview with The New York Post, Katrina Adams sympathized with Osaka's plight and said she felt "really bad" about the position the Japanese finds herself in at the moment.

"I’m a player,’’ said Adams. "You recognize when there are off-court issues that come onto the court. I don’t know what they are. You don’t know what’s on a player’s mind when they’re on the court. I feel really bad what she’s experiencing personally. Only she knows. Everyone else can speculate."

"I think she’s dealing with a lot. In my opinion she’s learning how to deal with that. If that’s (taking a break) what she needs to get stronger, and healthy. It’s about getting healthy all around, mind, body, soul. We want to see her in the game a very long time."

Adams also suggested that Naomi Osaka may want to change her approach in dealing with the media. The Japanese is known for being forthright and honest with her feelings, but Adams believes Naomi Osaka may be better off "curtailing" her "authentic" nature.

"The world wants people to be authentic,’’ Adams continued. "When they are, they bitch about it. I’m not in her camp but over time, she might start to curtail a little more.’’

"If I was in her position and that was the way I was welcomed as Grand Slam champion, it would impact me" - Adams on Naomi Osaka's 2018 US Open controversy

Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams after the 2018 US Open

During the interview, Adams also spoke about her new book, "Own the Arena." In the book, Adams provides plenty of details on the 2018 US Open final, in which Naomi Osaka defeated Serena Williams in straight sets.

Although it marked the arrival of a new Grand Slam champion, the final is better remembered for Serena Williams' angry outbursts at the chair umpire, as well as the boos from the crowd that marred the presentation ceremony.

Adams, who detailed in the book how one of her comments during the presentation ceremony had been misconstrued, believes the incidents that occurred in the final had a major impact on the shy and reserved Naomi Osaka.

"As a human being, if I was in her position and that was the way I was welcomed in as a Grand Slam champion, it would impact me,’’ Adams said. "The booing wasn’t at her. But she didn’t know that as a 19-year-old. Your first impressions sometimes are everlasting ones. I felt bad for her that night.’’