Is Naomi Osaka Playing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics?
Tennis star Naomi Osaka is speaking her mind after missing two Grand Slam tournaments this summer. Weeks after she announced her withdrawal from the 2021 French Open and later deciding not to compete in Wimbledon, the 23-year-old singles champion appeared on the cover of Time magazine. In an essay for the outlet, she explained her decision for stepping away from the game to take care of her mental health. "I communicated that I wanted to skip press conferences at Roland Garros to exercise self-care and preservation of my mental health," she wrote. "I stand by that. Athletes are humans." After thanking a few famous faces who reached out to her to check in  including Michelle Obama, Michael Phelps, Novak Djokovic, Steph Curry and Meghan Markle  she went on to reveal her plans for the future. This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. As Naomi continued to explain in her Time piece, she took weeks to "recharge and spend time with her friends and family." In the end, Naomi ultimately decided that she will return to the tennis court and represent Team Japan at the Olympic Games. "I have had the time to reflect, but also to look forward. I could not be more excited to play in Tokyo," she shared. "An Olympic Games itself is special, but to have the opportunity to play in front of the Japanese fans is a dream come true. I hope I can make them proud." In 2019, NBC reported that Naomi renounced her American citizenship to represent Japan, which is where she was born. Per a 1985 Japanese law, dual citizens (Naomi previously held dual citizenship for the U.S. and Japan) are required to make a "declaration of choice" and forfeit one of their citizenships before their 22nd birthday. Getty  As for when fans can expect to see Naomi take the court, the first round of Women's Singles at the Olympics kicks off on Saturday, July 24 at 10 PM ET with the second round happening the following at the same time on Monday, July 26. The rest of the schedule goes as follows:  Tuesday, July 27 at 10 PM ET - Women's Singles Third Round  Wednesday, July 28 at 10 PM ET - Women's Singles Quarterfinals  Thursday, July 29 at 10 PM ET - Women's Singles Semifinals  Saturday, July 31 at 11 PM ET - Women's Singles Bronze Medal Match, Gold Medal Match, and Victory Ceremony  Can't wait to watch her dominate! This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io