US Open 2021: 'Let her have time' - Rory McIlroy urges support for Naomi Osaka as she takes break from tennis
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Updated 06/09/2021 at 11:05 GMT
"I spoke about this in 2019, about separating who I am as a golfer and who I am as a person and trying to not let that define me, and it seems what Naomi is going through at the minute is that same thing," McIlroy said. "How can I play tennis and enjoy it and not let the results define who I am? I think everyone just needs to let her have time to figure that out."
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Rory McIlroy has urged everyone to show support for Naomi Osaka as she takes a break from tennis following her exit from the US Open.
Osaka made the decision to take a break from the sport after the two-time US Open champion lost to 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez in the third round at Flushing Meadows last week.
The 23-year-old was visibly frustrated during her 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4 loss to the Canadian teenager, in a display which was very out of character for the four-time Grand Slam champion, who is normally calm and composed.
The world number three will now take some time away from tennis after the fourth Grand Slam of what has been a breathless season in the sport, having spoken tearfully about struggling with anxiety and depression over the last few years.
"I'm really sorry about that. I was telling myself to be calm, but I feel like maybe there was a boiling point," Osaka said after the match.
"Normally I feel like I like challenges. But recently I feel very anxious when things don't go my way, and I feel like you can feel that. I'm not really sure why it happens the way it happens now. You could kind of see that. I was kind of like a little kid."
She added: "I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad. I don't think that's normal."
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Golf star McIlroy, speaking after his final round at the Tour Championship, opened up about having contended with similar challenges in his own career and threw his support behind the Japanese star.
"I spoke about this in 2019, about separating who I am as a golfer and who I am as a person and trying to not let that define me, and it seems what Naomi is going through at the minute is that same thing," McIlroy said.
"How can I play tennis and enjoy it and not let the results define who I am?
I think everyone just needs to let her have time to figure that out.
"She seems like a really smart girl, and hopefully she'll be able to do it and come back and start enjoying the game, just like when she picked the racket up when she was a little girl."
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