Will Smith is raising his voice in support of tennis champ Naomi Osaka, who pulled out of the French Open Monday after being fined for skipping the traditional post-match press conference.
Taking to Instagram Thursday, Smith shared an encouraging handwritten message to the 23-year-old athlete. The note reads, “Hey Naomi, You are Right. They are Wrong! I am with You.”
Smith signed the note by drawing a heart over his autograph.
On Monday, Osaka explained that she withdrew from the French Open for mental health reasons and wrote, “The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018, and I have had a really hard time coping with that.”
When it comes to speaking with the media, Osaka says it causes her “huge waves of anxiety” and that she finds the overall practice “stressful.”
Osaka was fined $15,000 for refusing to participate in the press conference and she was threatened with disqualification for other events. Following the ultimatum, she withdrew from the Open.
Since then, celebrities such as Pink, Nicki Minaj and Serena Williams have publicly supported Osaka, commending her for prioritizing her mental health.
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