Sports

(NEW YORK) — Tennis star Naomi Osaka has opened up recently about her mental health struggles and now she is sharing a new strategy to help her cope.

Osaka, 23, said on Twitter that she realized she is “extremely self-deprecating” and always thinks she is “never good enough.”

“I’ve never told myself that I’ve done a good job but I do know I constantly tell myself that I suck or could do better,” she wrote, adding, “Every time a new opportunity arises my first though is, ‘wow, why me?'”

In hopes of turning a new page and better protecting her mental health, the reigning U.S. Open champion said now she plans to celebrate even her small wins.

“I’m gonna try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more,” Osaka wrote. “I think we all should.”

Giving examples of the seemingly small wins worth celebrating, Osaka continued, “You got up in the morning and didn’t procrastinate on something? Champion. Figured something out at work that’s been bugging you for a while? Absolute legend.”

Osaka’s tweet prompted a reply from Ted Lasso, the fictional American football coach turned English football manager known for his positive attitude.

“I agree with every bit of this,” Lasso’s Twitter account posted Sunday. “The thing about small victories is that they’re easier to carry with you. I’m calling myself the champion of popping every single kernel of popcorn in the microwave last night.”

Osaka, who is currently defending her title at the U.S. Open in New York, faced a summer of setbacks due to what she has said are her mental health struggles.

She withdrew from the French Open in June after being fined $15,000 for missing a post-match press conference.

Osaka had announced at the start of the tournament she would not participate in the mandatory post-match news conferences in order to preserve her mental health.

Osaka also withdrew from Wimbledon this summer, with her agent explaining at the time that she was “taking some personal time with friends and family.”

The Japan native competed in the Tokyo Olympics in her home country but lost in the third round and left without a medal.

“I’m disappointed in every loss, but I feel like this one sucks more than the others,” Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony, said after the match, according to ESPN.

Osaka said she is focusing on this new approach to her mental health as a way to unburden herself from outsiders’ expectations.

“Your life is your own and you shouldn’t value yourself on other people’s standards,” she wrote. “I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that’s not good enough for some then my apologies but I can’t burden myself with those expectations anymore.”

“Seeing everything that’s going on in the world I feel like if I wake up in the morning that’s a win,” Osaka continued. “That’s how I’m coming.”

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Texas 4, Colorado 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota 3, Detroit 2
Toronto 7, Baltimore 3
Tampa Bay 6, Boston 1
L.A. Angels 8, N.Y. Yankees 7
Houston 4, Seattle 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 3, Cincinnati 1
Philadelphia 7, Washington 4
Milwaukee 3, San Francisco 1
San Diego 7, Arizona 5
L.A. Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Tennis star Sloane Stephens is opening up about mental health ahead of the 2021 U.S. Open.

Mental health for athletes at the top of their game has been brought to the forefront in 2021, largely due to athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles opening up on their own struggles.

“It’s important because no one says that it’s OK to say how you feel. And I think now it’s becoming a big deal,” Stephens, 28, told “Good Morning America” at a Mercedes event in Manhattan.

Osaka pulled out of the French Open in May after she announced she would not be speaking to the press at mandatory post-match press conferences due to mental health concerns. Osaka, the world’s No. 2 player, was fined $15,000 for each missed press conference before dropping out of the tournament.

“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health and this rings true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” Osaka wrote on Twitter on May 26.

In wake of Osaka’s call to action for tournaments to prioritize players’ mental health, the U.S. Open announced measures to support players and their mental health including plans to have licensed mental health providers and consultants on site for the tournament. But they will not be changing their mandatory press conference rule.

Stephens, who won the U.S. Open in 2017 and has been playing professional tennis for over a decade, is now one of the many athletes who is speaking out about mental health and sharing her experiences with others.

“Why would you keep [your mental health struggles] to yourself, for what?” Stephens asked. “If you’re struggling why would you just like sit and wallow? Maybe there’s someone else that can help you. Maybe there’s someone that you can talk to. Maybe there’s someone that has gone through the same thing and can offer you advice and support.”

“I feel like a lot of people try to fight it alone and end up in a deeper rut than they were in before because they didn’t ask for help, or they didn’t tell anyone or they didn’t even say it out loud.” Stephens said. “I wouldn’t wish that. I’ve been in a place where it’s been dark. And it’s been deep, and it’s been sad. And I’m like, I need to get out of that place.”

Making mental health about you

Ahead of what Stephens calls “biggest events” in tennis, the tennis star says her mental health is just as much of a priority as her physical health.

“I think that a lot of people from the outside, especially as an individual athlete who feels a lot of pressure and has a lot of anxiety and things like that when it comes to their sport… make decisions based on like, ‘Oh, they’re going to say this about me,’” Stephens shared.

“Kind of getting out of that space and being like I know it’s about me,” Stephens continued. “Realizing that my life, my choices, and my decisions really shouldn’t be based on other people.”

Mental health and the pandemic

Stephens, like many professional athletes, has had to undergo strict COVID-19 protocols for the past year in order to play at an elite level. Playing in international tournaments often means quarantining in hotel rooms for weeks at a time and having to make adjustments to your usual workout and preparation schedule.

“When we were playing in bubbles and all that stuff, it was super restricting,” she said.

Now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased, Stephens says she makes sure to take time for herself and appreciate the things she wasn’t able to do a year ago.

“I’ve made sure now that I’m going to enjoy my food, I’m going to go for walks, and I’m going to make sure that I’m taking care of myself,” Stephens said. “You always have to have something to keep yourself sane and I think for me finding small things has been very helpful.”

Advice for younger athletes

Over the course of her career, Stephens said she has learned how to prioritize her mental health and offered mental health advice for younger athletes.

“Younger athletes are not told that it’s OK to be sad, it’s OK to be happy, it’s OK to show your emotion. They tend to end up in a space or position where you just don’t feel good,” Stephens said. “And [if] you don’t feel good mentally, and you don’t feel good physically and then you can’t perform.”

“I believe at the end of the day there’s so many more people who have been where you’ve been or been through what you’ve been through, what you’re going through,” she added.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
 
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Milwaukee 6, Minnesota 2
Chicago White Sox 13, Chicago Cubs 1

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto 2, Detroit 1
Tampa Bay 12, Baltimore 8
Cleveland 7, Boston 5
Texas 13, Houston 2
Seattle 4, Kansas City 3
Oakland 3, N.Y. Yankees 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Miami 2, Cincinnati 1
Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 3
Philadelphia 7, Arizona 4
Atlanta 9, San Francisco 0
N.Y. Mets 9, Washington 4
Colorado 5, L.A. Dodgers 0

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON
Jacksonville 34, Dallas 14
Miami 29, Cincinnati 26
San Francisco 34, Las Vegas 10
New England 22, N-Y Giants 20
Cleveland 19, Atlanta 10

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago 107, Seattle 75

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
FC Dallas 5, Austin FC 3
Vancouver 4, Real Salt Lake 1
Portland 2, Seattle 0

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Friday’s sports events:

INTERLEAGUE
Minnesota           2  Milwaukee      0
Chicago White Sox  17  Chicago Cubs  13
San Diego           5  L.A. Angels    0

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay      6  Baltimore   3
Detroit        2  Toronto     1
Boston         4  Cleveland   3
Houston        5  Texas       4
N.Y. Yankees   8  Oakland     2
Kansas City    8  Seattle     7

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati     6  Miami           0
Washington     2  N.Y. Mets       1
Atlanta        6  San Francisco   5
St. Louis      4  Pittsburgh      3
Philadelphia   7  Arizona         6
Colorado       4  L.A. Dodgers    2

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON
Indianapolis  27  Detroit     17
Carolina      34  Pittsburgh   9
Philadelphia  31  NY Jets    31
Kansas City   28  Minnesota   25

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Phoenix  80  New York  64
Chicago  73  Seattle   69

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Columbus      3  Cincinnati     2
CF Montral   3  Toronto FC     1
Miami         0  Orlando City   0

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(TOKYO) — In his second consecutive Paralympic Games, Egypt’s table tennis player and amputee Ibrahim Hamadtou continues to produce jaw-dropping shots using only his mouth.

The 48-year-old lost to South Korea’s Park Hongkyu and China’s Chen Chao in the men’s singles contest at the Tokyo Paralympics, but the significance of his participation goes well beyond the results.

After losing both of his arms in a train accident at the age of 10 back in 1983, Hamadtou embarked on an inspirational table tennis career after being stirred up by a negative comment from a friend.

“I was in the club where I was officiating a match between two of my friends. They disagreed on a point, when I counted the point in favor of one of them the other player told me, do not interfere as you will never be able to play,” Hamadtou said in an interview with the International Table Tennis Federation’s website last year.

“It was that statement that fired me up to decide to play table tennis.”

Astonishing images of Hamadtou holding the paddle in his mouth and striking back at opponents went viral in 2014 when he made an appearance at the World Team Championships as a guest of honor, lining up against the world’s finest.

Two years later, he made his Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, once again displaying his unique skills.

When serving, Hamadtou flicks the ball up with his right foot and hits it powerfully with the racket, which he holds between his teeth. It’s a spectacular technique that he seems to be perfecting.

“It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the racket with [my] mouth and making the serve; with practice and playing regularly this skill was improved,” he added.

A father of three, Hamadtou was born in 1973 in Damietta, Egypt.

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(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 13. LA Angels 1
Chi White Sox 10. Toronto 7
Cleveland 10, Texas 6
Boston 12, Minnesota 2
NY Yankees 7, Oakland 6
Kansas City 6, Seattle 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 5, Milwaukee 1
Pittsburgh 11, St. Louis 7
San Francisco 3, NY Mets 2
Miami 7, Washington 5
Arizona 8, Philadelphia 7
LA Dodgers 4, San Diego 0

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Las Vegas 78, Atlanta 71
Dallas 82, Washington 77
Connecticut 76, Los Angeles 72

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
St. Louis 3, Detroit 2
Tampa Bay 7, Philadelphia 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Houston 6, Kansas City 5
Cleveland 7, Texas 2
Toronto 3, Chi White Sox 1
Baltimore 10, L.A. Angels 6
Minnesota 9, Boston 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chi Cubs 5, Colorado 2
San Francisco 3, NY Mets 2
Arizona 5, Pittsburgh 2
Miami 4, Washington 3
Colorado 13, Chi Cubs 10
Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 1
LA Dodgers 5, San Diego 3

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Phoenix 106, New York 79

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Tennis star Serena Williams will not compete in this year’s U.S. Open tournament, another setback in her quest to win her first Grand Slam title since giving birth to her daughter.

Williams, who will turn 40 next month, announced on social media that a torn hamstring injury will keep her from competing at Flushing Meadows in New York.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” Williams wrote on Instagram. “New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play — I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone from afar.”

Williams has not competed since injuring her right leg in in her first-round match at Wimbledon in June, according to ESPN.

Williams’ U.S. Open withdrawal ends her bid this year to win a Grand Slam tournament, which would be her 24th Grand Slam title and her first since giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in 2017.

The four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis are the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open.

Winning a 24th Grand Slam title would tie Williams with Margaret Court for single majors titles.

It would also make her a member of the very small club of professional tennis player moms who have won Grand Slam titles, joining only Court, Evonne Goolagong and Kim Clijsters.

The last mom to win a Grand Slam title was Clijsters in 2009 at the Australian Open, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Williams won her first singles title since becoming a mom in January 2020.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Tampa Bay 3, Philadelphia 1
NY Yankees 5, Atlanta 4
Detroit 4, St. Louis 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Seattle 5, Oakland 1
Chi White Sox 5, Toronto 2
Texas 7, Cleveland 3
LA Angels 14, Baltimore 8
Boston 11, Minnesota 9
Houston 4, Kansas City 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 2
San Francisco 8, NY Mets 0
Washington 5, Miami 1
Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 4
LA Dodgers 5, San Diego 2
Colorado at Chi Cubs (Postponed)

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Connecticut 76, Las Vegas 62
Chi 86, Atlanta 79
Washington 78, Los Angeles 68
Minnesota 76, Seattle 70

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.