Willie O’Reilly: Osaka’s silence is a talking point in the media money game

The tennis star’s efforts to protect her mental health have once again exposed the symbiotic and not always savoury relationship between sport and the media

Naomi Osaka refused to take part in post-match interviews at the French Open in order to protect her mental health. Picture: Getty

The media story of the week was the woman who didn’t want to speak to the media. In deciding not to, she helped fill a record number of column inches and hogged the headlines – despite the fact that she wasn’t available for comment.

There are few things that scare Naomi Osaka. She has proven herself a world-class tennis player and is a four-time Grand Slam champion. She is likely to be a star of ...