Golf star Rory McIlroy has backed Naomi Osaka's decision to take a break from tennis.
The World No. 3 was eliminated from the US Open following her third-round loss to Leylah Fernandez.
A tearful Osaka said that she would be taking some time off after her defeat.
McIlroy admitted that he had faced similar difficulties in his career: "I spoke about this in 2019 about separating who I am as a golfer and who I am as a person and trying to not let that define me, and it seems what Naomi is going through at the minute is that same thing,"
He added: "She seems like a really smart girl, and hopefully she'll be able to do it and come back and start enjoying the game just like when she picked the racket up when she was a little girl."
