[ti:Support Grows for Osaka after She Leaves French Open] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:01.64]Naomi Osaka received the support of tennis fans, leading athletes, [00:07.52]her sponsors and her country, Japan, Tuesday, [00:11.56]after her withdrawal from the French Open. [00:15.16]The world's number two female tennis player [00:18.00]surprised the tennis world on Monday [00:20.92]when she said she would no longer play in the tennis championship. [00:25.88]Osaka said on Twitter that she experiences "huge waves of anxiety" [00:32.00]before speaking to the media [00:34.52]and she has "suffered long bouts of depression [00:38.56]since the US Open in 2018." [00:42.12]The decision came after Osaka was fined $15,000 [00:47.16]for not attending a press conference after her first-round victory. [00:53.08]She was also threatened by the French Open [00:55.84]and other major championships [00:58.20]with more punishment, including suspension. [01:02.68]Osaka said she did not want to meet with the media [01:06.36]to protect her mental health. [01:09.16]Other leading tennis players argued at the time [01:12.64]that dealing with the media was part of the job. [01:16.28]But when she withdrew, [01:17.76]there were many messages of support from around the world. [01:22.24]The head of Japan Tennis Association said in a statement Tuesday, [01:28.00]"I wish her the earliest possible recovery." [01:32.08]And Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato [01:36.52]told reporters that he would "watch over her quietly." [01:41.16]There was also concern on the streets of Tokyo for Osaka [01:44.96]who will represent Japan in this year's Olympic Games. [01:49.92]Tomomi Noguchi helps people wear the traditional Japanese clothing, [01:54.56]a kimono, for photos and events. [01:58.72]"I think she's under a lot of pressure, [02:01.44]more than we can imagine," she told Reuters. [02:05.52]"She got to the top when she was young [02:07.84]so I think we can't really imagine what she's going through." [02:12.76]The sports business website Sportico [02:15.44]says Osaka has made more than $55 million [02:19.36]in the last 12 months, mainly from deals with sponsors [02:23.76]like Nissin Foods, Nike and MasterCard. [02:28.56]They all came out to support her decision [02:31.56]and Nissan, the automobile company said, [02:36.00]"We stand by her decision and wish her well." [02:40.36]Osaka was an unknown [02:42.28]when she won the 2018 U.S. Open championship [02:46.36]over American Serena Williams. [02:49.80]The crowd was upset with officials' calls against Williams. [02:54.76]So, they expressed their displeasure against officials [02:59.08]instead of cheering for the new champion. [03:03.04]On Monday, Williams added her support for Osaka saying, [03:07.80]"I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug [03:13.48]because I know what it's like. ... [03:16.72]You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, [03:20.28]in the best way she thinks she can." [03:23.16]There were also messages of support [03:26.36]from other female tennis champions and athletes [03:30.60]including Olympic champion Mo Farah [03:34.08]and NBA player Stephen Curry. [03:38.12]Six-times major champion Boris Becker, however, [03:42.12]was worried Osaka's tennis career could be in danger [03:46.56]because of mental health issues. [03:50.32]He told Eurosport, "If she can't cope with the media in Paris, [03:55.24]she can't cope with the media in Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. [03:59.84]So I almost feel like her career is in danger [04:04.16]due to mental health issues." [04:07.32]In her Twitter post, Osaka also said [04:10.08]"the rules are quite outdated in parts." [04:14.32]She said she is willing to work with tennis administrators [04:17.96]to improve things for players, press and fans. [04:23.60]Late on Tuesday, [04:25.20]the heads of the four major tennis championships [04:28.04]said in a statement, "On behalf of the Grand Slams, [04:32.12]we wish to offer Naomi Osaka our support [04:35.96]and assistance in any way possible [04:38.64]as she takes time away from the court." [04:42.12]They added, "She is an exceptional athlete [04:45.52]and we look forward to her return [04:47.96]as soon as she deems appropriate." [04:51.40]The four Grand Slams include the French Open, [04:54.28]Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Australian Open. [04:59.44]I'm Jill Robbins. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM