- Naomi Osaka broke her social media silence to share an image herself on the cover of Vogue Japan.
- Osaka has barely posted on social media since withdrawing from the French Open citing mental health issues.
- The 23-year-old is skipping Wimbledon so she can prepare for the Tokyo Olympics in a month.
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Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka briefly broke her social media silence to share an image of herself posing on the cover of the August edition of Vogue Japan.
The 23-year-old posted on her social media for just the second time since withdrawing from the French Open to share the image of her on the cover which appears alongside the caption 'HERE I AM.'
"Hi guys. Popping out to post this Vogue Japan cover, hope you're all doing well and staying safe," she wrote alongside the image.
Osaka made headlines last month when she announced she would not be fulfilling her media obligations during the French Open, a decision which was greeted with a fine by the Roland Garros organizers.
She later withdrew from the tournament citing mental health issues. Her decision was supported by fellow tennis stars such as Serena Williams and Andy Murray, as well as athletes outside the sport like Lewis Hamilton and Steph Curry.
Since the announcement, Osaka has taken a break from social media. During the French Open she posted a message of thanks to fans who supported her withdrawal, but went quiet again until June 21, when she shared the upcoming magazine cover.
-NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 21, 2021
The post came just over a month before the Olympic Games are scheduled to begin. Osaka announced last week that she will not take part in this year's Wimbledon Championships as she focuses on securing gold in her home country.
The world number two's first action of the Games will come on July 24 when the women's singles first round takes place at the Ariake Tennis Park.