Naomi Osakacalled outMegyn Kellyafter the journalist took a dig at the number of times the tennis player has appeared in magazines since declining to give interviews at the French Open,citing efforts to preserve her mental health.
The two exchanged online jabs on Monday, with Kelly, 50, first responding to a tweet from conservative sports pundit Clay Travis that read: “Since saying she’s too introverted to talk to the media after tennis matches, Naomi Osaka has launched a reality show,a Barbie, and nowis on the cover of the SI swimsuit issue.”
“Let’s not forget the cover of (& interview in) Vogue Japan andTime Mag!” Kellyreplied.
In a since-deleted tweet to Kelly, Osaka said her covers were shot before she went public about her struggles with social anxiety, which the athlete has previously said made it “stressful” for her to speak with press.
Kelly followed up in a subsequent tweet,claimingOsaka had blocked her.
“Poor @naomiosaka blocked me while taking a shot at me (guess she’s only tough on the courts),” Kelly wrote. “She is apparently arguing that she shot her many covers b/4 publicly claiming she was too socially anxious to deal w/press.”
“Truth is she just doesn’t like Qs she can’t control. Admit it,” the former Fox News host added.
Osaka made the decision toentirely withdraw from the French Open in Mayafter picking upa $15,000 finefor not participating in the tournament’s media requirements. Sheopted not to compete in Wimbledona month later.
“I feel uncomfortable being the spokesperson or face of athlete mental health as it’s still so new to me and I don’t have all the answers,” shewrote in part. “I do hope that people can relate and understand it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to talk about it. There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel.”
Naomi Osaka/instagram
While Osaka did not address Kelly beyond her deleted tweet on Monday, she did share with fans on Instagram Story that herSports IllustratedSwimsuitissue cover, which debuted hours before the Twitter exchange, was shot last year.
Alongside behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoot, she wrote, “We did this in December and it was freezing.”
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Kelly’s tweets about Osaka come just weeks after it was announced her podcast,The Megyn Kelly Show, will soon become a daily 2-hour show on SiriusXM.
source: people.com
