Amanda Anisimova and Naomi Osaka have had similar journeys surrounding their mental health over the last few years. Both professional tennis players took time away from the sport to focus on themselves. They are both very outspoken about the challenges of their careers, in addition to the difficulties of navigating outside opinion.
Osaka and Anisimova made their highly-anticipated returns to the tour last week and will compete in their first major back at the Australian Open next week. They’re already down in Melbourne!
The duo actually got together on the court on Sunday afternoon. Anisimova shared the following photo to Instagram and joked that “ugly tennis faces are back” while thanking Naomi Osaka for the hit.
From a tennis perspective, Anisimova getting to work alongside one of the greatest players in recent history was a great opportunity to rally with a challenging competitor. Osaka also got a good look at a very talented player in her own right. It was a win-win.
Perhaps even more importantly, two women who have made profound impacts on their sport by stepping away and speaking out got a chance to connect on a deeper level. That’s pretty cool!
The grind of a professional tennis career is not easy! There is constant travel without an opportunity to come up for air. Burnout is very real.
Anisimova hopes that her eight-month hiatus will inspire others to put themselves first. She took time to be with friends and family, discovered a passion for art, traveled for fun, and even went back to school.
Most importantly, the 22-year-old armed herself with the necessary tools to combat any feelings of isolation or depression. Her focus was on making tennis fun again.
I was happy that I was able to be honest about the reason why I was stepping away. Just being vulnerable about it [was] kind of freeing and takes a little bit of weight off my shoulders and if I can help other people in knowing that they are not the only ones struggling, they are not alone in it. It was really good to post about it and give some insight into mental health and that it is really important and taking care of yourself always comes first.
— Amanda Anisimova
Osaka, who stepped away from the sport in 2021 and penned a letter about how it is “O.K. Not to Be O.K.,” got a chance to share her story with Anisimova. Anisimova got a chance to discuss her new approach to the sport with Osaka. They have had similar paths in recent years.
Getting to hit together before their first major tournament since making their returns to the court is neat.