Naomi Osaka is taking further steps to try to improve her mental health following her breakdown at Indian Wells ... announcing Wednesday she's now seeing a therapist.
Osaka shared the news with reporters after her match in the first round of the Miami Open ... when asked how she's mentally preparing to compete following her emotional meltdown on the court in California two weeks ago.
Naomi Osaka asked for the microphone after her loss against Veronika Kudermetova. Here's what she said. pic.twitter.com/0Pj9WnNe4t
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 13, 2022
"I don't know if I'm allowed to say this," Osaka said, "but I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells."
The tennis star said her therapy -- while recent and fresh -- is already paying off ... explaining she's receiving strategies for how to cope with events that bother her.
Osaka said she finally decided to go to a therapist because her sister was concerned for her after she began crying on the court earlier this month following a heckler's "you suck" comment.
Osaka appears to be inching toward a good place mentally -- and it's already paying off on the court, as she beat Astra Sharma in two sets Wednesday to advance to the second round.