Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam tennis champion, has spoken out about her self-doubt and difficult thoughts as a new mother. She has been struggling with self-doubt about her capacity to be a decent mother, she claims. She expressed how many doubts tormented her mind, comparing them to swatting bugs.
Osaka and rapper Cordae welcomed their first child, a daughter named Shai, in July 2023. On Sunday, she celebrated her 26th birthday by sharing personal insights with her supporters, shedding light on the challenges of her life as both a professional athlete and a new mother.
Osaka pondered on her life history in a long essay on her social media platform, X (previously Twitter), questioning if she had taken the proper path. She said she sometimes feels like the kid playing on public courts in Queens, New York, and wonders if she’s on the right path in life. She did, however, concede that she has now adopted a forward-thinking perspective, accepting that whatever will be, will be.
Motherhood, according to the tennis champion, has had a huge impact on her outlook. She spoke on how staring into and holding her daughter Shai’s eyes strengthens her sense of responsibility and the drive to constantly improve. She also expressed her amazement at how rapidly children grow and underlined the value of appreciation, encouraging herself and others to embrace both the minor and major events in life.
Osaka’s last competitive match was in September 2022, at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, however she had to retire due to abdominal pain. She confirmed her pregnancy in January 2023, as well as her decision not to compete in the Australian Open that month.
According to the Independent, she reflected on her year away from tennis last month and how the lengthy careers of other female tennis giants had inspired her to continue competing. She characterized the event as being both long and short. She recalled her last competition, the Tokyo Olympics, and how missing the Australian Open was painful because she had never missed it before.
She first doubted her abilities to compete at her age while seeing Serena and Venus Williams perform. However, she is now considering doing so, demonstrating a newfound desire to prolong her tennis career for a lengthy period of time.