Paris ¨C Women¡¯s tennis great Martina Navratilova on Monday said she was saddened by Naomi Osaka¡¯s decision to withdraw from the French Open following the controversy over her decision to boycott media obligations.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka announced her decision on Monday, a day after being fined $15,000 for not attending a post-match media conference and threatened with expulsion after her first-round win.

The Japanese player, who cited the negative impact on her mental well-being caused by facing journalists at post-match press conferences as the reason for her boycott, wrote on Twitter that she had suffered from depression since 2018.

¡°I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be okay,¡± 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Navratilova said after Osaka¡¯s decision to withdraw.

¡°As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental and emotional aspect gets short shrift,¡± Navratilova said.

¡°This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi ¡ª we are all pulling for you!¡±

Osaka said she decided to withdraw from the Grand Slam tournament because she did not want to become a ¡°distraction¡°.

¡°I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,¡± the world No. 2 said on Twitter.

Osaka said she regretted the timing of her media boycott. Navratilova said it had made the situation worse.

¡°Kudos to Naomi Osaka for caring so much about the other players,¡± Navratilova said. ¡°While she tried to make a situation better for herself and others, she inadvertently made it worse.

¡°Hope this solution, pulling out, as brutal as it is, will allow her to start healing and take care of herself,¡± Navratilova added.

Former American player Mardy Fish, who struggled with anxiety issues during his career, said Osaka should be fully supported. ¡°Mental Health is nothing to criticize. Nothing to joke about. Please take your mental health seriously,¡± he said.

¡°Without my support system, I truly believe I would not be here today. Here for you @naomiosaka¡°.