Ball – Osaka may be dismissed from Roland Garros for off-court behavior (tennis)

World number two Naomi Osaka could be fired from Roland Garros if she continues to refuse to attend press conferences. Osaka said last week that he would not attend conferences during the Grand Slam tournament because he wanted to “protect his mental health”.

The Japanese tennis player has already been fined 15,000 euros for not attending after winning in the first round over Romanian Patricia Maria Teague on Sunday.

A joint statement issued by the Grand Slam organizers said that Osaka was also facing “more heavy fines and future suspension in the Grand Slam events.”

“The main element in the regulations of the Grand Slam tournament is the players’ responsibility to appear before the media, regardless of the outcome of their meeting, and it is a responsibility that the players bear for the benefit of the sport, the fans and themselves,” the statement said. .

“We warn Naomi Osaka that if she continues to ignore her obligations, she will violate the Code of Conduct. Repeated violations lead to tougher penalties, including a ban on participation in a tournament and the initiation of an investigation into serious crimes that could lead to more heavy fines and the suspension of Grand Slam In the future, the rules are in place to ensure that all players are treated exactly the same. ”