Naomi Osaka in tears in Cincinnati on her return to press conference

Delicate return to the press for Naomi Osaka.

On the sidelines of the Cincinnati tournament, stage of the North American tennis tour, the Japanese burst into tears on Monday, for her first press conference on the WTA circuit since last May.

Asked about her notoriety and her relationship to the media, which she had boycotted since last spring, the Japanese woman first asked for a reformulation of the question before indicating: “Since I was young, there have been a lot of media interest around me and that's as much because of my story as it is because of the way I play.

(…) I cannot do anything about the fact that what I say or do generates press articles ”.

Osaka then burst into tears, after a question evoking the situation in Haiti, then left the room, before resuming his place and completing his press conference.

Naomi Osaka bursts into tears and exits podium while addressing how she has felt since withdrawing from French Open.

pic.twitter.com/xBn8XRF8FB

- The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) August 16, 2021

"Really appalling behavior"

His agent, Stuart Duguid, then reacted, questioning the journalist's behavior.

“The tyrant of the Cincinnati Enquirer is why relations between the press and the players are so strained right now.

(…) His sole purpose was to intimidate.

Really appalling behavior, ”he said in comments relayed on Twitter by a reporter from the New York Times.

Naomi Osaka's agent Stuart Duguid:

"The bully at the Cincinnati Enquirer is the epitome of why player / media relations are so fraught right now. Everyone on that Zoom will agree that his tone was all wrong and his sole purpose was to intimidate. Really appalling behavior. "(1/2)

- Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 16, 2021

The 23-year-old tennis player gave up pursuing her Roland Garros tournament last May after her victory in the first round and then skipped Wimbledon to resolve her anxiety problems.

A decision that had sparked controversy but provoked the support of different personalities.

“It's something I needed to do for myself.

Initially, I stayed at home for a few weeks and was embarrassed to go out because I didn't know if people would see me differently, ”Osaka explained on Monday.

Exempted from the first round, thanks to her world ranking (2nd), Naomi Osaka should make her debut in the Cincinnati tournament on Wednesday. She will face the winner of the match between American Coco Gauff and Taiwanese Hsieh Su-wei. This weekend, she announced to donate all of her earnings to help populations affected by the earthquake in Haiti, her father's land.