“You Saw What Naomi Osaka Had To Go Through”- UFC Legend Daniel Cormier Not Happy With Pressure on Athletes

Daniel Cormier opened up on the recent mental health issue that has been prominent among superstar athletes across the globe. From UFC superstar Conor McGregor to gymnast Simone Biles and WTA phenom Naomi Osaka, all have been subject to mental battles.

Cormier believes the time to inspect what athletes have to endure has come. Apart from the grueling physical demand to prepare for the biggest tournaments on the planet, athletes often have to go through mental battles as well. The demands from their fans and criticism upon failure come alongside the fame and perks of being a top-level star.

“With all the success of superstardom as we have seen with Conor McGregor, there are times when you start to deal with the mental side of things,” said Cormier.

“The mental toll that athletes are having, as individual athletes, as team athletes, it’s so immense and insane. I mean, you look at what Simone Biles went through at the Olympics just very recently. You saw what Naomi Osaka had to go through as she was preparing for her tournament. She had the French open I believe where she had to pull out because she could not deal with the pressure over the top of her,” he added further.

Naomi Osaka hinted she might retire recently

Osaka suffered a third-round exit against Leylah Fernandez at the US Open. The Japanese superstar was devastated following her defeat. She broke down in tears following the post-match press conference of the event.

She indicated she wants to take a break from playing and even said that it’s not sure if fans will see her back in action ever again. This only further illustrates the mental baggage that comes along with being an elite-level athlete. Fans can only hope that they get to see the player in action again, as she is one of the finest players in the world of tennis.

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