The players present at theUS Open may benefit from services to help them maintain good mental health, however post-match press conferences will remain mandatory. However, tournament players will be able to benefit from a stress assessment before entering the press room, in the same way he sees a doctor in the event of a physical glitch. After the announcement of Mike Dowse the CEO of USTA this Tuesday, Stacey Allaster, director of the US Open gave more details during the traditional conference facing the (online) media before the tournament.
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Since the choice of Naomi Osaka not to attend press conferences at Roland-Garros, the debate on the mental health of top athletes has returned to the fore. Many stars of tennis and other sports then supported the Japanese. So theEXPERT has decided to offer help to players by allowing them to access mental health services for the duration of theUS Open. “We recognize that ensuring the mental health of players is an area that needs to be addressed, and we are taking steps to give athletes the resources to compete at the highest level,” said Mike Dowse, CEO and Executive Director of USTA.
The USTA’s new Mental Health Initiative will ensure that a holistic approach is taken with all aspects of player health, including mental health. #BeOpen
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2021
The FFT is fully committed, along with the other Grand Slam tournaments and international governing bodies, to working with the USTA on this major issue of health and psychological balance for top players. https://t.co/88wcCvOGcc
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) August 25, 2021
Words that were confirmed during the pre-tournament conference as reported on the website tennisnow.com. Overall, nothing has changed, except that as much attention will be paid to the mental aspect as to the physical aspect: “I think it’s really important that we continue this mental health work, but that the players are available to the media is of critical importance to our fans. ” Allaster said first before continuing: “Our rules provide flexibility regarding an athlete’s health. We have done this in the past when an athlete has sprained an ankle, and is not available to go to the official press room. .[…] There will be a medical evaluation and the doctors will make a decision. Maybe they need more time. Maybe they need a less formal alternative format than going to the press. This is how we have operated for many years, with ATP and WTA, to help athletes.“Measures which will perhaps upset media habits, but which will perhaps bring quality to some botched interviews by the players, at a time when it is very difficult for them to express themselves with lucidity. to follow.
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