A young tennis star came on the scene in Naomi Osaka. She made history by beating the biggest name, Serena Williams. Since then, Osaka has become a 4 time Grand Slam champion. However, being young has not kept her from speaking about mental issues. And for those reasons, she withdrew from the French Open. NBA star Stephen Curry was the one who came out to show her support.

Osaka burst onto the scene, becoming the first Japanese woman to win the Grand Slam. She stunned Serena Williams in 2018 to make history. She has already become the highest-paid woman athlete at just 24.

But there are always difficulties on the path to success. And Osaka has been dealing with her own mental battles. In 2021, she even took herself out of the French Open tournament.

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And Stephen Curry gave her major praise for taking such a brave decision.

Stephen Curry stands with Naomi Osaka

Mental health is a huge part of the well-being of an athlete. Being under the spotlight all the time is never easy. And Osaka has kept her health first at all times. Hence, she did not show up to answer questions from the media. However, this brought the threat of expulsion. And the 24-year-old champion had to make a difficult call.

In an apologetic message, Osaka announced that she won’t be a part of the tournament in Paris. She spoke about her mental health and also worked to create a much safer space for fellow tennis players. And Stephen Curry was in awe of her call. He took to Twitter and said: “You shouldn’t ever have to make a decison like this-but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be dont protect their own. major respect.”

Osaka is in her prime at just 24. With history behind her, she has only started off on her journey. Hence, every tournament is a testament to her legacy. However, it is crucial to be fit both physically and mentally. And Steph understands this because of the criticism that comes his way. Being an athlete isn’t an easy job whatsoever. The constant pressure to perform and meet expectations takes a huge toll. And taking a step back isn’t wrong. Because the comeback is always going to be stronger.

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For Osaka, we can only hope the former world number 1 gets back in full force and lights the grass up once again. What do you think of Naomi’s decision? Let us know in the comments below.