<p>Retired athletes voiced their support for four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka on Saturday after she said she would take a break from tennis having lost her enthusiasm for competition.</p>.<p>The world number three suffered a stunning defeat in the third round of the US Open on Friday before tearfully telling reporters she planned to take an indefinite break from the sport.</p>.<p>"I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief," said Japan's Osaka, months after publicly disclosing that she had suffered from depression.</p>.<p>"Take all the time you need to recover, rest, and heal, @naomiosaka," 12-time Grand Slam singles champion Billie Jean King wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "Sending you love and support."</p>.<p>Retired American tennis player James Blake applauded her decision.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/osaka-tosses-racket-loses-us-open-match-to-18-year-old-fernandez-1026882.html" target="_blank">Read | Osaka tosses racket, loses US Open match to 18-year-old Fernandez</a></strong></p>.<p>"Please do what is best for you @naomiosaka," he said on social media. "We want to see your extraordinary tennis again, but more importantly, we want to see you happy."</p>.<p>Six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker responded to Blake in a quote retweet: "That's right."</p>.<p>The 23-year-old has ushered in a new conversation around mental health in professional sport after she dropped out of the French Open amid a public row over mandatory press conferences at the Grand Slam, saying they took too great a toll on her mental wellbeing.</p>.<p>Osaka's influence extends far beyond the court, as she brought the Black Lives Matter protest to tennis' international platform a year ago, becoming a leading figure for athlete advocacy in the process.</p>.<p>"Good decision. Young, trying to figure out life, how to win consistently, and as a huge celebrity athlete is hard! Trying to also be a change maker too. Exponentially harder!" four-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Michael Johnson wrote on Twitter.</p>.<p>"If there was ever a need for an athlete to step away, this is it."</p>
<p>Retired athletes voiced their support for four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka on Saturday after she said she would take a break from tennis having lost her enthusiasm for competition.</p>.<p>The world number three suffered a stunning defeat in the third round of the US Open on Friday before tearfully telling reporters she planned to take an indefinite break from the sport.</p>.<p>"I feel like for me recently, like, when I win I don't feel happy. I feel more like a relief," said Japan's Osaka, months after publicly disclosing that she had suffered from depression.</p>.<p>"Take all the time you need to recover, rest, and heal, @naomiosaka," 12-time Grand Slam singles champion Billie Jean King wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "Sending you love and support."</p>.<p>Retired American tennis player James Blake applauded her decision.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/osaka-tosses-racket-loses-us-open-match-to-18-year-old-fernandez-1026882.html" target="_blank">Read | Osaka tosses racket, loses US Open match to 18-year-old Fernandez</a></strong></p>.<p>"Please do what is best for you @naomiosaka," he said on social media. "We want to see your extraordinary tennis again, but more importantly, we want to see you happy."</p>.<p>Six-time Grand Slam winner Boris Becker responded to Blake in a quote retweet: "That's right."</p>.<p>The 23-year-old has ushered in a new conversation around mental health in professional sport after she dropped out of the French Open amid a public row over mandatory press conferences at the Grand Slam, saying they took too great a toll on her mental wellbeing.</p>.<p>Osaka's influence extends far beyond the court, as she brought the Black Lives Matter protest to tennis' international platform a year ago, becoming a leading figure for athlete advocacy in the process.</p>.<p>"Good decision. Young, trying to figure out life, how to win consistently, and as a huge celebrity athlete is hard! Trying to also be a change maker too. Exponentially harder!" four-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Michael Johnson wrote on Twitter.</p>.<p>"If there was ever a need for an athlete to step away, this is it."</p>