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Naomi Osaka has opened up on the trials and tribulations of becoming a mother as she prepares to return to tennis. The 26-year-old hasn’t played a professional game since Sept. 2022 but is now preparing to return to the courts after giving birth.
Osaka welcomed her first child, Shai, with her partner Cordae back in July. The two-time US Open winner withdrew from the Australian Open in January after learning of her pregnancy, taking time away from the courts to focus on motherhood.
Almost a year on the Japanese tennis star is eyeing a return to the sport almost five months on from giving birth, posting on X that she will feature at the upcoming Brisbane International. In an interview with InStyle, Osaka has reflected on her pregnancy, revealing how she has coped over the last five months.
“I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is; no one really talks about it as much,” she said. “Going into it, you kind of think: ‘Oh, it’s this beautiful journey’. But it’s kind of rough.”
“There was a huge adjustment period,” Osaka added when reflecting on the early stages of her pregnancy. “It was life-changing in a day. From the moment that you come back home from the hospital, everything’s different.”
Osaka went on to reveal that giving birth was the “worst pain of my life” but insisted the experience put things into perspective. “And I know that if I get through this, then everything else will feel very easy,” she added.
With Shai now five months old, the two-time Australian Open champion is viewing a return to tennis. The former World No. 1 has documented her return to full fitness over the last few weeks via her Instagram account, including clips of her back on tennis courts to get back to being match-sharp.
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“I’ve stepped away from tennis before, but this time, it was the longest duration of my life,” she says. “And I think it kind of gave me a perspective like, ‘Hey, you’re not going to play tennis forever. And you kind of have to cherish the years that you can play.
“I do want to be a good role model for Shai, and I want her to see that this was an important chapter in my life.”
Osaka also admitted she is in a privileged position to be able to decide when she can return back to work, highlighting that many parents aren’t as fortunate.
“I’m fortunate to have the support to go back to work on my own terms, in my own time,” she said. “So many American parents don’t have that choice, but we all deserve it. It has definitely motivated me to speak up about the lack of paid leave and to advocate for new moms in this country.”
Fans will be eager to see Osaka back on the courts with the hope that she will add to her past success. The 26-year-old already has four Grand Slam titles to her name among her seven career titles.
Osaka is due to play her first match since giving birth at the WTA 500 Brisbane International which is scheduled to start on Dec. 31.
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