For as long as I can remember, athletes have been subjected to postgame interviews. In the immediate aftermath of a glorious high or a dreadful low, players are expected to gain their composure and answer a series of often uncompelling questions.
In many cases, they offer the same types of responses every time, never giving the public a good soundbite or intriguing insight.
Last week, tennis player Naomi Osaka made national news when she declined to attend press conferences during the French Open. The tennis star cited mental health concerns, but tournament officials made sure not to capitulate, probably understanding that doing so would lead to greater consequences in this domain later on.