Star Japanese women's tennis player and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka took to Instagram to announce her pregnancy on Wednesday (January 11) and also revealed her comeback plan.
Osaka, who is pregnant with her first child, penned down a heartfelt note to fans in both English and Japanese with a photo of an ultrasound. The 25-year-old had earlier withdrawn from the upcoming Australian Open which is slated to kick off from January 16.
“The past few years have been interesting to sat the least,” Osaka wrote on Instagram.
“But I find that it's the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun. These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to,” she added.
In May 2021, Osaka opted out of the marquee French Open after revealing she had ‘suffered long bouts of depression’ since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018. In September that year, she announced she would take a break from the sport. Osaka had also withdrawn from Wimbledon last year with an Achilles injury. She spent all of 2022 outside the top 10 and split from long-time coach Wim Fissette last summer, replacing him with her father Leonard Francois.
“I realise that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure,” Osaka's post read.
" I knew that I have so much to look forward to in the future. One thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone 'that's my mum' haha. 2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons and for me I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one because I'll be at Aus 2024," her post further read.
Her last appearance was at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September, where the home favourite withdrew before her second-round match, complaining of abdominal pain. She told reporters at that tournament that she had gone through “more down than up” in 2022 and that she had “learned a lot” about herself. She is now ranked 47 in the world, having hit the summit for the first time in 2019.
