Naomi Osaka’s assumption that having a child signaled the end of a player’s career left tennis fans bewildered, considering the numerous players who had successfully made a comeback to the tour after becoming mothers.
In July, Osaka welcomed her first child, a daughter named Shai, with her long-time boyfriend and professional rapper, Cordae.
During a recent appearance on the Mountaintop Conversations podcast, the 25-year-old admitted to harboring the assumption that having a child signified the end of a WTA player’s career.
“Actually, there was a lot of pressure I felt for me. For me, I always had the assumption that if you have a kid, it’s basically the end of your career. I don’t really see a lot of women on the tennis tour with kids. They are usually a bit older, and it just seems like a very hard taxing on your body,” Naomi Osaka said.
The four-time Grand Slam champion also divulged that despite not initially expecting to return to the tour after giving birth, having a child has deepened her appreciation for the sport.
“I just never really thought if I had a kid, I’d go back on the tour. But I feel like it was a magical moment for me. It just made me think of all the things I love and appreciate and it just made me really want to work hard… I’ve played tennis since I was three and I want to appreciate the time that I can still play,” she added.
Several fans were left perplexed by Osaka’s comments. A fan questioned why she had made that assumption, given that players like Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Elina Svitolina, among others, had all made a successful return to the tour after having children.
“Serena, Vika, Svitolina, Clijsters, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong… they all would like a word… Unless “their careers were over” ??” a fan tweeted.
Amy Lundy Dahl
Another fan highlighted a fallacy in Osaka’s comments, pointing out that the former World No. 1 had won her first Grand Slam title after defeating Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final, when the 23-time Grand Slam champion was making a comeback after giving birth to her daughter Olympia.
“Girl won her first slam beating a returning Serena in the USOpen final but thought having kids was a career ender? You legit stood across the net from a returning mother in a grand slam final…,” another fan commented.
Bayern Fan (The Normal One)
Here are a few more fan reactions:
Stephanie Myles
Naomi Osaka hints at comeback after giving birth to her first child
Naomi Osaka fields questions from the media.
Naomi Osaka fields questions from the media.
Just days after giving birth to her daughter, Naomi Osaka was spotted on the practice courts, already training for her comeback to the tour. She also hinted at her return while sharing a picture of her newborn daughter dressed in a tennis-themed onesie.
A fan recently reached out to Osaka through social media and shared their enthusiasm for her return to the tour. In response, the former World No. 1 confirmed that her comeback was already in the works.
“Omw,” Osaka tweeted.
NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ
