>>> I WANT TO INSPIRE THE GIRLS
OUT THERE WATCHING RIGHT NOW.
THE ONES THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK
ARE TOO DIFFERENT.
TOO QUIET.
TOO SOMETHING.
AND IF WE DONT FIT THAT
EXPECTATION OF WHAT PEOPLE THINK
WERE SUPPOSED TO BE, GOOD.
>> SO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF
YEARS WE HAVE SEEN ATHLETES USE
THEIR PLATFORMS TO REALLY SPEAK
OUT AND AFFECT SOCIAL CHANGE.
THE LATEST IS TENNIS SUPERSTAR
NAOMI OSAKA WHO IS READY TO TAKE
ON THE TOKYO OLYMPICS.
SHE IS THE FIRST JAPANESE-BORN
PLAYER TO WIN A GRAND SLAM AND
WILL REPRESENT JAPAN THIS
SUMMER.
AFTER SHOCKING THE TENNIS WORLD
AND TAKING A BREAK FROM TENNIS
IN MAY TO FOCUS ON HER MENTAL
HEALTH.
IN A NEW ESSAY IN TIME MAGAZINE
SHE SAYS STEPPING AWAY FROM THE
FRENCH OPEN HELPED HER GROW AND
TAUGHT HER VALUABLE LESSONS.
QUOTE, LESSON ONE, YOU CAN NEVER
PLEASE EVERYONE.
THE WORLD IS AS DIVIDED NOW AS I
CAN REMEMBER IT IN MY SHORT 23
YEARS.
ISSUES THAT ARE SO OBVIOUS TO ME
AT FACE VALUE LIKE WEARING A
MASK OR KNEELING TO SHOW SUPPORT
FOR ANTI-RACISM ARE FEROCIOUSLY
CONTESTED.
I MEAN, WOW.
SO WHEN I SAID I NEEDED TO MISS
THE FRENCH OPEN PRESS
CONFERENCES TO TAKE CARE OF
MYSELF MENTALLY, I SHOULD HAVE
BEEN PREPARED FOR WHAT UNFOLDED.
I TRY TO PUSH MYSELF TO SPEAK UP
FOR WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE RIGHT
BUT IT OFTEN COMES AT A COST OF
GREAT ANXIETY.
I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE BEING THE
SPOKESPERSON OR FACE OF ATHLETE
MENTAL HEALTH AS ITS STILL SO
NEW TO ME AND I DONT HAVE ALL
THE HOPE THAT PEOPLE CAN RELATE
AND UNDERSTAND IT IS OKAY NOT TO
BE OKAY.
IT IS OKAY TO NOT TALK ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP,
AND THERES USUALLY LIGHT AT THE
END OF ANY TUNNEL.
JOINING US NOW IS CARRIE
CHAMPION, HOST OF THE "NAKED
WITH CARRIE CHAMPION."
AND WE TRIED TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION YESTERDAY, BREAKING
NEWS INTERVENED.
I WILL GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT
AT THE END.
BUT WHY WAS THIS -- I TALKED TO
SOMEONE FROM THE TENNIS WORLD
TODAY AND I SAID, WHY IS SHE SO
RIVETING?
WHY DID THIS BRING EVERYTHING TO
A HALT?
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE, SHE
DIDNT HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT
FROM THE OTHER PLAYERS.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS REALLY HER
TAKING A STAND FOR HER, BUT SHE
SAID ON THE OTHER HAND IT COULD
BE A WATER SHED MOMENT.
HOW DO YOU SEE THIS?
>> NAOMI IN SO MANY WAYS, AND WE
LOOK BACK IN HISTORY THERE ARE
THESE WHAT I LIKE TO CALL PEOPLE
WHO WERE PERFECT, THE PERFECT
STORM.
THEY COME TOGETHER AND THEY TAKE
THESE STANCES THAT ARE VERY
CONTROVERSIAL FOR WHATEVER
REASONS, BUT THEY ARE THE
PERFECT CANDIDATE, THE PERFECT
PERSON FOR IT.
IN THE SENSE THAT SHES REALLY
GREAT AT WHAT SHE DOES, SHE IS
EXCELLENT, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST JAPANESE
WOMAN PLAYER TO BE RANKED NUMBER
ONE AT THE WGA, THEN SHE QUIETLY
JUST LEADS, GETS ALONG WITH MOST
PEOPLE, DONT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS,
AND THEN SHE TURNS AROUND AND
SAYS, IM GOING TO PROTEST
DURING THE U.S. OPEN AND IM
GOING TO WEAR MASKS EVERY SINGLE
DAY THAT I GET ON THAT MAIN
COURT SO YOU KNOW EACH MASK WILL
REPRESENT A NAME OF SOMEONE WHO
DIED.
THAT WAS SO CONTROVERSIAL.
IT REMINDED ME, AND THIS IS ME
GOING WAY BACK, WHAT YOU HEAR
ABOUT ARTHUR ASH.
HE WAS A QUIET, STRONG LEADER.
THAT IS WHAT NAOMI IS.
THE REASON SHE GOT SO MUCH
PUCKBACK IS BECAUSE THE TENNIS
WORLD GOT LESS THAN -- THEY JUST
DO NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF
CONTROVERSY.
THEY WANT THE RULES TO BE THE
SAME.
SO WHAT SHE IS EXPERIENCING ON A
SMALLER LEVEL IN THE WORLD OF
TENNIS IS WHAT WERE
EXPERIENCING.
THIS IS A NEW GENERATION.
THESE ARE NEW PLAYERS.
THEY HAVE A NEW APPROACH TO
LIFE.
THE RULES HAVE TO CHANGE.
THE ETIQUETTE HAS TO CHANGE.
HER SAYING IT IS OKAY NOT TO BE
OKAY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING, BUT
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE ARE IN A
WORLD OF INFORMATION AND
EVERYONE FELT THEY WERE ENTITLED
TO FIND OUT WHY SHE DID NOT FEEL
OKAY AND DID NOT WANT TO HOLD
ANY PRESS CONFERENCES.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN WHEN I READ IT, I HAVE A
PHYSICAL REACTION TO THAT LINE.
WHEN YOU REPEAT IT, I HAVE A
PHYSICAL REACTION TO THAT LINE.
IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.
I MEAN YOU ARE RIGHT, OF COURSE,
ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE
SAYING ABOUT HER AND ABOUT HER
SPORT, BUT IT IS ALSO WE ARE
TERRIBLY THINK AS A MEDIA AT
COVERING MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL
WELLNESS, MENTAL ILLNESS, ALL OF
IT.
WE SUCK AT IT.
SHE IS MAKING US SORT OF STARE
AT IT, AND IT IS LIKE LOOKING AT
THE SUN.
IT IS EXCRUCIATING FOR SO MANY
PEOPLE, BUT IF THE LAST YEAR AND
A HALF TAUGHT US ANYTHING IT IS
THAT WE ARE SO MUCH LESS WITHOUT
CONNECTIONS, WHEREVER THEY COME
FROM.
AND JUST TO YOUR POINT ABOUT
THIS PERFECT STORM, WHAT DOES
THAT CONVERSATION LOOK LIKE IF
MORE THAN JUST NAOMI ARE LEADING
IT?
>> YOU KNOW, IT IS BEAUTIFUL
THAT YOU BRING THAT UP.
I THINK YOURE RIGHT.
THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF HAS PUT
A HUGE SPOTLIGHT ON MENTAL
HEALTH.
THERE ARE ATHLETES OBVIOUSLY WHO
HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
WE HAVE KEVIN LOVEN, NBA, ROSEN
IN THE NBA, MICHAEL PHELPS HAS
TALKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
IT IS BECOMING MORE COMMON.
BUT DO WE GRAB THIS STORY?
DO WE IN THE MEDIA PAY ATTENTION
TO THE STORY?
FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THIS YOUNG
LADY HAS GOT OUR ATTENTION, AND
I COULD GIVE YOU A LIST OF
REASONS AS TO WHY.
BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT
WERE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST TO
A WORLD THAT IS SO DIFFERENT,
AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO IGNORE
IT, BE AS PRO.
MEANING LIKE WE CANT CONTINUE
TO SAY EVERYTHING IS FINE, PUT
YOUR HEAD DOWN AND DO YOUR JOB.
DO YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
LAST YEAR AND A HALF?
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOME PEOPLE
TO CONTINUE TO RETURN TO THE
OFFICE, MAYBE RETURN BACK TO
WHATEVER NORMAL LOOKS LIKE, AND
SHE HAS POINTED THIS OUT IN SO
MANY ELOQUENT WAYS.
I HATE THAT SHE HAD SO MUCH PUSH
BACK BECAUSE SHE SIMPLY SAID SHE
WANTED A MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
YOU AND I WORK IN A BUSINESS
WHERE MENTAL HEALTH DAYS ARE
IMPERATIVE.
IF WE DONT HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH
DAY, THEN HOW DO WE GET TO DO
WHAT WE DO?
HOW DO WE NOT TURN OFF SO WE CAN
COME BACK AND FILL OUR CUP BACK
UP AND DO WORK?
THATS ALL SHE WAS SIMPLY
SAYING, AND THE CONVERSATION NOW
HAS TO BE ABOUT THE FRENCH OPEN
AND THE STANDARDS THAT THEY
HAVE, AND THE U.S. OPEN AND THE
WAY THAT THE TENNIS WORLD IS
APPROACHING THIS.
IN THIS SOCIETY YOU KNOW WHAT WE
DO?
WE LOOK THE OTHER WAY.
WE DECIDE NOT TO PAY ATTENTION
BECAUSE IT IS TOO COMPLICATED
AND IT IS TOO INVOLVED.
THATS WHY THE WORLD, AS SHE
POINTED OUT, IS SO DIVIDED MORE
THAN EVER IN HER SHORT 23 YEARS.
I BELIEVE SHE IS ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
WE CAN NO LONGER LOOK AWAY.
>> WELL, AND IT IS THIS
RECURRING THEME OF THE LAST FIVE
YEARS WHERE NOTHING IS SACRED,
NOTHING IS SPARED, NOT EVEN THE
THINGS WE CHERISH MOST
UNIVERSALLY, YOU KNOW, THE
BRILLIANCE AND THE GREATNESS OF
THESE, YOU KNOW, SUPERIOR
ATHLETES, AND HER ATHLETICISM IS
SO SPECTACULAR BUT SHE HAS BEEN
VERY MUCH OF THE MOMENT.
YOURE RIGHT.
SOMEONE SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW,
SOME PEOPLE ARE ASKING, YOU
KNOW, IS IT A SAYING THE SPORT
IS BIGGER THAN SHE IS.
WHY CANT THE SPORT BE BIG
ENOUGH FOR HER TO BE IN IT ON
WHATEVER TERMS SHE WANT TO BE IN
IT ON, AND OTHER ATHLETES AS
WELL?
>> BY THE WAY, NAME A DISCIPLINE
THAT REALLY HAS A PROBLEM
WHENEVER ITS EMPLOYER -- EXCUSE
ME, EMPLOYEE OR PLAYER BECOMES
BIGGER THAN THE BRAND.
THAT THEN MAKES PEOPLE FEEL AS
IF, OH, NO, RULES HAVE TO CHANGE
AND WE START TO HAVE TO
ACCOMMODATE OTHER PLAYERS AND
OTHER EMPLOYEES WHEN THEYRE
BIGGER THAN THE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE,
BRAND, AND THIS BRAND
SPECIFICALLY IS TENNIS.
IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE WE THINK
THAT WAY AS OPPOSED TO BEING
MORE INCLUSIVE, AND REALIZING
SHE IS GOING TO BRING MORE
ATTENTION TO THIS SPORT THAN --
THE LAST TIME THIS SPORT HAD
THIS MUCH ATTENTION IS WHEN THE
WILLIAMS SISTERS WERE AT THEIR
HEIGHT.
THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH THEIR OWN
ISSUES.
I MEAN SERENA, THE SAME FRENCH
OPEN DIDNT LIKE HER CAT SUIT.
THEY BANNED THE OUTFIT THAT SHE
CHOSE.
>> YEAH.
>> ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
JUST THINK ABOUT HOW RIDICULOUS
THAT SOUNDS IN A WORLD THAT WE
LIVE IN WHERE ALL SHE IS DOING
IS TRYING TO USE HER PLATFORM TO
BRING MORE AWARENESS AND MORE
FANS TO A SPORT SOMETIMES PEOPLE
DONT PAY ATTENTION TO.
LOOK, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I DO.
I THINK THAT NAOMI IS SMART.
I LOVE SHE WROTE THIS BECAUSE
SHE WANTED IT TO BE NUANCED.
NOTHING CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED ON
TWITTER OR ON INSTAGRAM, IF YOU
WILL, OR TIKTOK, AND SHE WANTED
IT TO BE NUANCED AND SHE WANTED
TO GIVE US THOUGHT AND NOT HEAR
WHAT WE HAD TO SAY.
NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL
HEALTH BECAUSE IT IS SO
PREVALENT AND NECESSARY.
I WILL SAY THIS LAST THING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PLAY TENNIS
AND YOU ARE IN A GRAND SLAM AND
YOU HAVE HOWEVER MANY MATCHES TO
MAKE IT TO THE FINALS, RIGHT,
SHE HAS DONE THAT ON AMPLE
OCCASION, RIGHT?
BECAUSE SHE IS AN EXCELLENT
PLAYER AND SHE HAS THREE OR FOUR
SLAMS.
HERE IS THE REALITY.
YOU HAVE TO DO A PRESS
CONFERENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND
SOMETIMES YOURE NOT READY FOR
IT AND SHE DIDNT GET A BREAK.
THERES NO MENTAL -- IN
BASKETBALL YOU CAN TAKE A
SHOWER, COME BACK.
IN BASEBALL YOU CAN TAKE A
MINUTE, YOU CAN COOL OFF.
IT IS RIGHT FROM THE COURT INTO
THE PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM.
SHE IS RIGHT, IM EXHAUSTED, IM
PAINFULLY SHY, CAN I GET A