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Naomi Osaka and the Power of Stardom

Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open rather than participate in mandatory press conferences is as much about media access in the social media age as it is the unequal treatment of female athletes, and especially women of color. Osaka, who is 23, the number-two-ranked female player in the world, with close to $50 million in endorsement earnings last year and a highly engaged fan base (with nearly four million followers between Twitter, Instagram and TikTok) is not playing by the traditional rules of tennis, a sport whose governing body has been overwhelmingly white and male. When it comes to a philosophical debate between enduring a $15,000-a-pop fine from Roland-Garros, Osaka has the upper hand. As Roxane Gay tweeted in response to Osaka’s May 26 tweet announcing her intention to skip the media avails, “I am enjoying this ‘fine me, I don’t care’ energy.” In what now looks like a miscalculated exercise in bluff-calling, all four Grand Slams issued a statement threatening to escalate the issue with more penalties and possibly a suspension. Days later, Osaka — a somewhat awkward presence on the circuit who has described herself as “extremely shy” — withdrew citing her mental health, revealing that she

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