Naomi Osaka knocks Megyn Kelly for tweets that ‘spew negativity’ about mental health

Tennis star Naomi Osaka took a shot at conservative pundit Megyn Kelly after Kelly accused Osaka of not being genuine about her recent decision to not conduct media interviews, citing mental health concerns. 

Kelly criticized Osaka for being on a series of magazine covers, but Osaka said those issues were produced well before her break.

“Seeing as you’re a journalist I would’ve assumed you would take the time to research what the lead times are for magazines, if you did that you would’ve found out I shot all of my covers last year,” Osaka said. “Instead your first reaction is to hop on here and spew negativity, do better Megan.” 

Late last month, Osaka withdrew from the French Open to focus on her mental health.

“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” she wrote in a statement, adding she is concerned about people working in media and elsewhere who display “no regard for athletes mental health” and that it “rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.”

Kelly was discussing Osaka on Monday on Twitter with Clay Travis, a conservative sports pundit.

“Since saying she’s too introverted to talk to the media after tennis matches, Naomi Osaka has launched a reality show, a Barbie, and now is on the cover of the SI swimsuit issue,” Travis tweeted.

“Let’s not forget the cover of (& interview in) Vogue Japan and Time Mag!” Kelly added.

Kelly, a former anchor on Fox News and NBC, hosts a podcast-turned-radio program on SiriusXM and recently garnered headlines for downplaying the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, suggesting the media made the attack seem “so much worse than it actually was.”

In a subsequent tweet later on Monday afternoon, Kelly noted Osaka had blocked her after rebuffing the pundit’s criticism.

“[Osaka] 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.”

Poor @naomiosaka blocked me while taking a shot at me (guess she’s only tough on the courts). 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. pic.twitter.com/izyRzOrUVm

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) July 19, 2021

–Updated at 3:52 p.m.