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Osaka announced her decision on Monday, a day
after she was fined $15,000 for not attending a post-match media
conference and threatened with expulsion after her first-round
win.
The four-times Grand Slam champion had signalled her intentions
to skip her media duties to protect her mental well-being and on
Monday said she had suffered from depression and social anxiety.
"I thought what Naomi did this past week was incredibly brave,"
Wie West said on Tuesday. "I also understand that part of being
an athlete is speaking to the media because that's how the
tournaments get done, (it) is through the media coverage.
"Definitely as a player, it gets tough, especially after having
a bad round. It's tough, especially when you're not doing well,
or there's a lot more to life than your game."
Osaka has received support from her country Japan, her sponsors,
leading sporting figures and tennis fans since she announced her
decision.
The four Grand Slam tournaments released a statement on Tuesday
commending Osaka for sharing her experience and promised to make
things better for players.
Wie West, who won the 2014 U.S. Women's Open, said there was a
need for more conversations regarding the mental wellbeing of
athletes.
"It is sometimes crippling at times, but I'm really proud of
athletes taking charge of their mental health and making it a
priority," she added.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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