Naomi Osaka spars with Ashleigh Bart at the French Open. Video / AP
Controversial broadcaster Piers Morgan is under fire yet again - this time for comments about tennis star Naomi Osaka.
The former Good Morning Britain presenter slammed Osaka's decision not to give interviews during the French Open, even comparing her to Meghan Markle, reports the Mirror UK.
Amid the media storm over her press conference stance, Osaka said she was pulling out of the tournament.
She said she has been suffering mental health issues since the US Open in 2018 and didn't want that to affect her game.
But Morgan, 56, called her a "brat", suggesting the $55.2 million she's earned over the past 12 months have made her "ego grow to gigantic proportions".
And he compared her to the Duchess of Sussex for "wanting to have her cake and eat it" by relying on the media for promotion but using mental health as an excuse to avoid criticism for stepping out of the spotlight.
Morgan stepped down from his presenting role at Good Morning Britain after refusing to apologise for accusing Meghan of lying about her mental health struggles.
The tennis star left the tournament after refusing to take part in press conferences. Photo / AP
In his latest column for MailOnline, Morgan wrote, "What Osaka really means is that she doesn't want to face the media if she hasn't played well, because the beastly journalists might actually dare to criticise her performance, and she's not going to 'subject' herself to 'people that doubt me'.
"This is straight out of the Meghan and Harry playbook of wanting to have the world's largest cake and eating it, by exploiting the media for ruthlessly commercial self-promotion but using mental health to silence any media criticism."
The comparison had Twitter users fuming.
"I wonder what it is about Naomi Osaka and Meghan Markle that so upsets Piers Morgan? Strangely, he didn't say a word when Djokovic refused to speak to the media at US Open," one wrote.
And others put it down to Morgan's "obsession" with Markle.
I wonder what it about Naomi Osaka and Meghan Markle that so upsets Piers Morgan?
Strangely, he didn’t say a word when Djokovic refused to speak to the media at US Open. pic.twitter.com/hQnsQeKQCC
"He just can't stop talking about Meghan, the article is about Naomi but some how he managed to bring in Meghan," another commented.
Osaka revealed she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning the US Open in 2018.
"This isn't a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago. I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my wellbeing is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.
"I'm going to take some time away from the court now, but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans," she said.
