Naomi Osaka returns to spotlight with Grand Slam style in photo shoot after media boycott

Naomi Osaka has ended her boycott of the media by posing in her bikini top on the cover of Vogue.

The tennis superstar and world’s highest earning female athlete, 23, unveiled her fashion turn in the magazine’s Japan edition.

And she accompanied the quirky pics by telling fans: ‘Hope you’re all doing well and staying safe.’

Her return to the front pages comes after she caused controversy by refusing to do press conferences at last month’s French Open — saying they show ‘no regard for athletes’ mental health’.

It sparked a row with the press and tournament bosses — who threatened to fine her.

In response, the Australian Open champion promptly dropped out of the grand slam days later and then revealed her own mental health battle.

The world No.2 explained: ‘The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.

‘Though the tennis press has always been kind to me… I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media.’ 

On her boycott, Naomi added: ‘I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it pre-emptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that.’

As she makes her return to the fashion mags, Naomi still plans to skip Wimbledon this month.

She was supported by fellow superstar Serena Williams — who she beat in the US Open final — and British champ Andy Murray.

On her Wimbledon boycott, Murray said: ‘I get to play sport and stuff and there are people who are in significantly worse positions than multi-million pound tennis players, but I think unless you’ve been in that situation people wouldn’t understand.’

More Guilty Pleasures…

From a trip Down Under… to down to undies for Rita

Anywhere is the bedroom for Rita Ora — including the streets of Hollywood.

Flashing her lingerie outside a closed underwear store in LA, the sizzling British singer gave passers-by an eyeful of what her rumoured lover, filmmaker Taika Waititi, might witness at bedtime.

And the 30-year-old joked about the skimpily dressed mannequins in a window behind her in an Instagram post captioned: ‘Just trying to figure out how to get in.’

She jetted to Hollywood after Thor director Waititi, 45, returned from Sydney following their Australia hook-up.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQaL2nnjyXs/

Masked Singer judge Rita has also been working in LA, shooting a pool-top video for track You For Me — written by her Doing It duet pal Charli XCX. She is also said to be in talks to collaborate with Jennifer Lopez.

Pic cap: Feeling Rita at home: Ora outside the shop PICTURES: INSTAGRAM

Spat of the Spears as Brit takes on dad

Britney Spears finally has her day in court today as she tries to wrestle financial freedom from her father Jamie.

The Toxic singer is expected to appear via video link after she personally requested to testify against him, with her lawyer telling the judge she wanted to ‘address the court directly’.

Her dad has been in control of her affairs ever since her 2008 meltdown — but there is pressure for him to be removed in the wake of documentary Framing Britney Spears and the #FreeBritney movement.

Britney, 39, warmed up for her court showdown with a getaway to Hawaii with boyfriend Sam Asghari, 27 — who previously branded her dad a ‘total d***’. And she warned fans her performing days could be over, saying: ‘Will I ever take the stage again? I have no idea.’

Big decision… as Carrie’s lover nearly didn’t return to screen

First she lost her best friend Samantha — and Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie nearly lost her lover Mr. Big too in the Sex And The City comeback.

Chris Noth, who plays Carrie’s on-off flame, confessed he was ‘hesitant’ to join the revival. The 66-year-old added: ‘I didn’t really feel I had anything to offer in that role again. It kind of felt like I had done it.’

He agreed after executive producer Michael Patrick King came up with ‘incredible creative ideas’.

Kim Cattrall, 64, who played Samantha, dropped out after a furious public fall-out with Parker, 56.

Selena’s relationship ‘curse’

She’s had failed romances with Justin Bieber and The Weeknd — and now Selena Gomez has concluded her past relationships have been ‘cursed’.

The 28-year-old singer and actress said she has been made to feel ‘less than’, as she explained the meaning behind her ‘Rare’ tattoo and album of the same name.

‘I think most of my experiences in relationships have been cursed. I’ve been way too young to be exposed to certain things when I was in relationships,’ the Lose You To Love Me singer told Vogue Australia.

And she revealed her neck tat relates to her rotten runs at love, sharing: ‘I guess I needed to find what was that word for me, because I felt so less than in past relationships, and never really felt equal.’

Time not Tik-ing for ‘vampire’ Avril

Avril Lavigne may have just made her TikTok debut — but it looks like time has stood still for her.

The 36-year-old Canadian stunned fans when she finally joined the video app — as she looked almost identical to when she dropped her 2002 break-out hit Sk8er Boi in her teen years.

She made her clip a real blast from the past by recruiting 53-year-old skateboarding legend Tony Hawk to do drop-ins on a half pipe. But fans were more distracted by Avril’s unchanged look. One dubbed the singer a ‘non-aging vampire’, while another asked: ‘What in the 2003 is this???’

The chart sensation has been off the radar for years after battling Lyme disease.

■ Chris Martin has gone from Gwyneth Paltrow’s husband to being ‘like my brother’, she said. The Iron Man actress gave an update on their post-divorce dynamic since consciously uncoupling in 2016. 

‘You know, he’s my family. I love him,’ said the 48-year-old Goop entrepreneur, now married to TV boss Brad Falchuk. Gwynnie has Apple, 17, and Moses, 15, with the Coldplay singer, and gushed: ‘I’m so grateful to him for giving me these kids. It worked out well… It really did.’

■ And the winner for equality goes to… Nominees and award-winners at the Emmys will now have the option to use a gender-neutral term, the TV Academy has announced. 

The most prestigious awards in US TV said nominees in any category titled ‘actor’ or ‘actress’ could request their nomination certificate carry the term ‘performer’. Likewise, winners can ask for their statuette to use the gender-neutral option. 

The move comes amid a years-long debate over how to accommodate gender-neutral performers at awards shows. In 2017 US actor Asia Kate Dillon, who is non-binary, asked the TV Academy to clarify its gender distinctions.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas reveals cancer scare after finding lump: ‘It is worrying’

MORE : Lorde explains sexy single artwork for Solar Power and she’s owning it: ‘It’s a little hardcore’