Chris Evert urges Naomi Osaka to have "thick skin" in the face of the media

Retired American tennis player Chris Evert believes Naomi Osaka needs to continue to display "thick skin" when dealing with the media and fans, as she deals with the weight of the pressure and expectations placed on her.

After becoming visibly upset during a match in Indian Wells where she was heckled by a rude fan, Osaka has since returned to a more positive mindset that saw her finish runner-up at the Miami Open. Evert believes it's crucial that the Japanese superstar continue to block out any negativity.

"We are all fans of Naomi Osaka and we have seen the high level of tennis that she can play and we have seen her win Grand Slams," Evert told Eurosport in an interview ahead of the French Open.

"We recognise that she is a very sensitive person and this kind of life of winning tournaments, being No. 1, winning Grand Slams, this competition with everything that comes along with it, being sort of a target for anybody to talk about, being judged and social media, how your privacy is taken away from you.

"It is not just playing a match on the court, it is everything that goes along with it. It has been a struggle for her and I think that she is just sensitive and she is just vulnerable."

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Evert believes that having thick skin is essential for anyone in the public eye, as they are more open to judgement and criticism than the average person.

"You have to have thick skin, that's a reality and that's not a criticism," added the former World No.1. "If you don't have thick skin, you can develop thick skin because you've got to understand that if you are this successful, you are out in the open for anybody to judge and for anybody to talk about you.

"There are a lot of people out there who are not happy with their own lives. So they sort of interject into other people's lives their opinion and their negativity.

"I've always thought that if you are successful in any field and you are making millions and millions of dollars on the tennis court and endorsement sponsorships, that you pay the price. There's a price for everything.

"You can't just go smooth, you can't avoid the pitfalls of success. You have to understand that and do the best you can, but you have to be thick-skinned and realize that if somebody takes a pot shot or somebody takes a shot at you, that is their problem. That is not your problem."