John McEnroe questions Naomi Osaka’s decision to open up on her mental health struggles

John McEnroe has questioned Naomi Osaka’s decision to speak so candidly about her mental health struggles following Friday’s surprise defeat at the Australian Open.

The defending champion was beaten 4-6 6-3 7-6 (10-5) by Amanda Anisimova having squandered two match points.

Osaka has twice taken lengthy breaks from the sport in recent times having admitted she has found it hard to contend with the pressure and adulation that has accompanied her grand slam successes.

<p lang=«en» dir=«ltr» xml:lang=«en»>Giant slayer âï¸ ðºð¸ @AnisimovaAmanda knocks out defending champion Naomi Osaka 4-6 6-3 7-6[5] to advance to the fourth round of the #AO2022.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/4FkZhER6hy

Speaking after her defeat, however, the 24-year-old Japanese superstar denied her hiatus from the sport contributed to her surrendering her Australian Open title.

‘I mean, for me it didn’t,’ she said in her post-match press conference. ‘Wim [Fissette, Osaka’s coach] said it probably did, because I didn’t play a person that served and returned like really well.

‘So he said if I played people that returned as well as she did before maybe I would have been more prepared, but those are the choices that I made.’

Outspoken former American tennis start John McEnroe, however, fears Osaka has put herself in a difficult position by talking so openly about her mental fragility and believes she will always have to face questions on the matter whenever she fails to convert matchwinning opportunities.

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