Naomi Osaka knows what it means to walk away, but motherhood gave her a reason to return stronger. The WTA No. 58 withdrew from the 2021 Roland Garros and took an indefinite break from tennis after the 2021 US Open. It was all to avoid the criticisms dampening her confidence. The weight of expectations, the relentless scrutiny, and numerous criticisms, all took a toll on her. Then came Shai in 2023, and with her, a renewed sense of purpose for Osaka. Tennis shaped Osaka’s life, bringing confidence to her shy personality. But would she want the same for her daughter? With new perspectives, the WTA star reveals her vision for her daughter.
Osaka’s 2025 season started on a good note. She reached the ASB Classic finals against Clara Tasuson but retired in the second set following an abdominal injury. It was her first final since her return from her maternity 12 months ago. She then entered the Australian Open but the abdominal injury forced her to withdraw mid-way through her third round clash against Belinda Bencic. Despite her unfortunate ordeal, the Japanese WTA star remained confident about her form. “I have a lot of goals going forward. For as long as I can play, I really want to win Wimbledon and Roland Garros (the French Open) and get a career grand slam,” she said.
But where does she get this mental strength from? Her daughter Shai. The World No. 58 previously revealed how her daughter inspired her to win. But, will she inspire her daughter to follow her path? Naomi Osaka has the perfect answer to it. In an interview with CNN, dated 22nd February, she said, “She has a lot of energy, like a lot. I think she’d be a really good tennis player. She’s just the happiest girl. She has a miniature racket, so she does pick that up a lot, but I haven’t put her on a tennis court yet.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 27: Naomi Osaka of Japan walks on court before playing against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia during their Women’s Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2024 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Last year, Osaka revealed that she wanted her daughter to understand how much tennis meant to her. “I do want to be a good role model for Shai, and I want her to see that this (tennis) was an important chapter in my life,” she said. Therefore, with every step, Osaka tries to set an example for Shai, giving her best in all the tournaments she participates in. “While I’m playing, I’m aware of it in the sense that I want to be a good role model for my daughter. Other than that, I think I’m pretty much trying to be the same old me,” she concluded.
Despite the dedication though, Osaka’s performance has had major inconsistencies since her return last year. She could enter the quarterfinals of only two tournaments, the Qatar Open and the Libema Open. But, setbacks don’t impact her anymore. “I think I’m playing really well, even from last year, the end of last year. I got injured there too. But I’ve beaten some really good players. So I hope that I can continue that trend,” she said in the CNN interview.
From a shy player to a confident athlete, Osaka’s journey has been truly inspirational. And the guiding force behind her journey? Motherhood.
Naomi Osaka shared how motherhood changed her perspectives on tennis
Motherhood has given Naomi Osaka the ultimate satisfaction in life. “Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day,” she added.
The 4-time GS champion also reflected on the pain of childbirth and her postpartum struggles, which changed her perspective on everything, making her sort of ignorant of others’ criticisms. In an interview with Glamour, dated 10th January 2024, Osaka said, “My world turned into a completely different world in one night. I feel so strong. People talk about childbirth, but it’s different once you experience it. I just feel like I can do anything and nothing will bother me, and the pain tolerance has definitely increased a lot from that. I just don’t really care about other people’s opinions anymore.”
For this Japanese WTA star, being a mother is as important as being a successful player. That is why, she aims to offer Shai a supportive ambiance where she doesn’t feel isolated. “I want [Shai] to feel like her feelings are valid and nothing that she’s going through should make her feel like she’s isolated,” she said in an interview last year.
Although Naomi Osaka wants her daughter to pursue her favorite sport, it is too early to predict the future of the baby girl. Do you think Shai will choose to follow in his mother’s footsteps?
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