‘You Have an Option’ – Martina Navratilova Says Social Media Is Adversely Affecting the Mental Health of Athletes in the Modern Age

Martina Navratilova has often spoken on the subject of mental health. She was one of the first noted personalities to come out in support of Naomi Osaka after she withdrew from the French Open last year owing to deteriorating mental health.

A champion player in her playing days, Navratilova overcame all odds to carve out a successful career in tennis. Moreover, she is one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, winning an astonishing 59 Grand Slam titles across formats. Recently, she opened up about the negative effects of social media.

Martina Navratilova relates social media to mental health issues

During an interview, the former World Number 1 talked about the adverse effect of social media in today’s day and age. She said, “If social media is your biggest problem, you’ve got it good, because you have an option of staying away from it. The mental issues are real. I’m not belittling them at all, but it’s like we didn’t have the option of having any mental issues, because we were too busy.”

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Naomi Osaka created a sort of revolution in terms of athletes opening up about their mental health issues. Star athletes like Simone Biles and Nick Kyrgios have revealed about their struggles with similar problems.

What did Navratilova say about Naomi Osaka’s mental health issues?

After the Japanese star withdrew from the 2021 French Open, Navratilova came out in support of her. She said, “I am so sad about Naomi Osaka. I truly hope she will be ok. As athletes we are taught to take care of our body, and perhaps the mental & emotional aspect gets short shrift. This is about more than doing or not doing a press conference. Good luck Naomi —we are all pulling for you!”

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Since her emotional exit at Roland Garros last year, Osaka hasn’t been able to find her golden touch. She is yet to win a title in over a year. Recently, she bowed out of the Silicon Valley Classic, losing against Coco Gauff in the second round.