"She's got the ability to be at the top of the game for a long time" - Patrick McEnroe hopes Naomi Osaka finds the balance between tennis and mental health
WTA
Patrick McEnroe recently weighed in on Naomi Osaka's up-and-down tennis career and her limited appearances on tour. McEnroe hopes Osaka can soon find a balance between taking good care of her mental health and personal goals, while also ensuring she gives her best effort as a tennis player, following in the footsteps of Andre Agassi and Serena Williams in that regard.
Osaka has made it quite clear over the last couple of seasons that her focus is on prioritizing her mental health and personal development, becoming a vocal champion on the same. At the same time, she has missed a lot of time on the pro tennis tour, which has affected her form in the tournaments she has played in. The four-time Grand Slam champion is now down to No. 42 in the rankings and has not won a title since the 2021 Australian Open.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast, McEnroe expressed his views on the uncertainty surrounding Osaka's career, suggesting that he would like to see the 25-year-old be able to manage her personal life and career together, as she belongs among the top players.
"It'd be nice if she could find a balance of what's helping her be a better person in her own mind but also still be a top tennis player," McEnroe said.
He further suggested how Osaka could take a cue from the likes of Agassi and Williams, who also struggled with self-recognition and stress for some time before devoting their best efforts to becoming top tennis players.
"Once you come to some realization about who you are, Andre Agassi, we know what he went through, and then he came out on the other side," he continued. "Even Serena, midway through her career, was like, 'I'm gonna be a Hollywood star and I'm gonna do other things.' But then she was like, 'Wait a second, I want to be the best tennis player I can be. What can I do to be the best possible tennis player I can be, while still being healthy mentally?'."
"It does take a single-mindedness at some level to get the most out of whatever your ability is," the former French Open doubles champion added. "Just watching her as a tennis player, she's got the ability to absolutely be at the top of the game for a long time."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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