Following the controversy surrounding the interview session with Naomi Osaka in preparation for the Western & Southern Open, the Japanese superstar's agent has quickly come to her defense.
During the press conference, which was Osaka's first since the French Open, a reporter asked a "fairly aggressive" question that left the World No.2 in tears. She temporarily exited the conference, before returning some time later to finish the interview.
Stuart Duguid, Osaka's agent, spoke out against the reporter, stating that his intention was to intimidate the tennis star. Although Duguid never named the media member, he did label him a "bully" and added that he worked for the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Furthermore, Duguid stated that people like that particular reporter were responsible for the damaged relationship between players and the media. The reporter was later revealed to be Paul Daughtery, a correspondent for the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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Naomi Osaka's agent Stuart Duguid:
"The bully at the Cincinnati Enquirer is the epitome of why player / media relations are so fraught right now. Everyone on that Zoom will agree that his tone was all wrong and his sole purpose was to intimidate. Really appalling behavior."(1/2)