When Naomi Osaka announced she was opting out of press [1] during the 2021 French Open, she said she hoped her hefty fine would, at the very least, go to a mental health organization. Well, Osaka was indeed slapped with the full $15,000 fine and threatened with further punishments, leading her to subsequently drop out of the tournament [2]. On social media, Osaka said she didn't want to be a "distraction" [3] to the other players and explained her past struggles with depression and social anxiety, especially when speaking to press.

In honor of Osaka taking a stand for mental health, the Calm app has pledged to donate $15,000 — the full equivalent of Osaka's fine — to the French segment of Laureus Sport, a global organization "doing incredible work in the mental health space" to transform young people's lives through sport, Calm said on social media. But that's not all: Calm, an app that promotes sleep [4] through soothing "sleep stories," [5] also pledged to pay the fine for any other player opting out of 2021 Grand Slam press appearances for mental health reasons. The app will also match those fines with $15,000 donations to Laureus Sport.

Related:

Venus Williams's Take on the Tennis World's Press Debate Is, Simply Put, a Grand Slam [6]

As much as Osaka has been criticized for failing to "do her job" [7] as a pro athlete (reminder: damaging your mental health shouldn't be a job requirement), she's also setting an example that it's OK to prioritize your own well-being over others' expectations. It's encouraging to see businesses like Calm adding support, and this feels like just the start of the conversation.