No. 2 seed Osaka withdraws from French Open

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open, saying Monday that she will “take some time away from the court” one day after she was fined and threatened harsher sanctions for skipping her mandatory media obligations.

Osaka, in a statement posted to social media, said she “never wanted to be a distraction” and that her withdrawal is “the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being.”

The four Grand Slam tournaments announced Sunday that Osaka could face severe punishment — including potential default from the French Open — if she continued to avoid speaking to the media.

In a joint statement from the four tournaments, the organizations said they had written to Osaka after she announced she would not be participating in her media obligations during the fortnight and reminded her of the consequences stated in the 2021 rulebook should she opt out.

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