Japan’s Naomi Osaka could be thrown out of the French Open if she continues to boycott post-match news conferences at the tournament, the board of Grand Slam tennis tournaments said on Sunday. Osaka, who was fined $15,000 for skipping the news conference after her first-round victory at Roland Garros, could also face suspension from other Grand Slam tournaments, the board added. The four-times Grand Slam champion said earlier this week she would not face the media during the French Open, citing mental health reasons. “We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences,” the board of Grand Slam said in a statement. It added that “the mental health of players competing in our tournaments and on the Tours is of the utmost importance to the Grand Slams”.

Source: The Irish Times May 30, 2021 15:45 UTC