Former US Open Champion Naomi Osaka Reveals How Becoming a Mom Changed Her Perspective on Tennis

She now has a greater appreciation for the amount of work that goes into professional athletics.

Naomi Osaka / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

This time last year, Naomi Osaka was picking her training back up. After months away from the game, during which time she gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai, the Japanese pro tennis player was itching to dig back in.

She had never put down her racket entirely. During her pregnancy, Osaka continued to practice her game. “I don’t think I really ever stopped training, or trying to train,” she recently told WWD. And just two weeks after giving birth, she was already back on the court.

Giving birth to a daughter has come with a lot of lessons, as first-time parenting is bound to come with a steep learning curve. But, on top of that, it has taught Osaka a lot about her former approach to tennis—and how it has to adapt in this new phase of life.

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“Things I used to take for granted when I was younger, I can’t afford to do that now,” she said to WWD of the changes that parenthoods brings. “It’s incredible how much work goes into being a tennis player. Maybe I didn’t know that before. But now I’m definitely realizing it.”

That realization hasn’t deterred her, though. When Osaka returned to the professional tennis circuit at the start of the 2024 season, her determination to come back better than ever was palpable.

On the ground in New York, Osaka is looking for a first round win in the 2024 US Open (a tournament she won in both 2018 and 2020) this afternoon.