Women’s tennis star Naomi Osaka lost in the qualifying round of the Cincinnati Open on Monday, but she said that wasn’t her biggest problem.
The 26-year-old star spoke about the physical challenges she faces. Instagram Posts She said Tuesday that she felt similar to how she felt after giving birth.
“Right now, my biggest issue isn’t the weight loss, it’s not feeling like I’m in my body,” Osaka wrote. “The only thing I can compare myself to right now is feeling like postpartum, which scares me because I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3. A tennis racket should feel like an extension of your hand, and I don’t understand why everything has to feel like new.”
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Japan’s Naomi Osaka leaves the court after losing to Belgium’s Elise Mertens during the National Bank Open at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto on August 8, 2024. (Robert Plunge/Getty Images)
Osaka gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai, over a year ago on July 12, with her boyfriend, rapper Cordae. She didn’t return to tennis until January, when she lost in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open to Caroline Garcia. Since then, she has lost in the second round at the French Open and Wimbledon, and lost in the first round of the women’s singles at the Paris Olympics to Germany’s Angelique Kerber.
“It’s a weird feeling missing balls I shouldn’t have or hitting weaker balls than I’m used to. I try to tell myself ‘ok, I’m doing good, I’m going to get through this and keep trying’ but mentally it’s really exhausting. I can hear myself screaming in my head ‘WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!?!'” she wrote on Instagram.
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Prior to her pregnancy, Osaka had won four Grand Slam titles, winning the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. Osaka once reached the world no. 1 ranking, in January 2019. Osaka withdrew from the 2021 French Open, citing “mental health issues,” after being fined $15,000 and receiving threats for not attending a press conference.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka will face Australia’s Daria Saville in the first round of singles at the Toray Pan Pacific Open on September 20, 2022 at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo. (Ota Kiyoshi/Getty Images)
In between that withdrawal and her pregnancy, Osaka played in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 2021 U.S. Open, 2022 Australian Open, 2022 Miami Open, 2022 French Open, 2022 U.S. Open and 2022 Pan Pacific Open, losing in the early rounds in each tournament.
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Thirteen months after giving birth to her first child, she continues to fight to recapture the form that led to her early career wins of multiple Grand Slam titles.
“The other day I thought about what I wanted to get out of this whole experience and I realized something: I love the process (even though sometimes the process doesn’t love me back lol), working hard every day, and eventually getting the opportunity to get to where I want to be,” Osaka wrote.
“I know there are no guarantees in life so I want to do the best I can with the time I have. I want to teach my daughter that with hard work and perseverance you can achieve a lot. I want her to reach for the stars and never think that her dreams are too big.”
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Naomi Osaka takes a break during her match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at the National Bank Open on August 9, 2022 in Toronto. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via The Associated Press)
Osaka is scheduled to compete in the 2024 U.S. Open in Queens, New York City later this month.
“I’ve realized that while nothing in life is promised, I can promise myself to give it my all until the end,” she wrote. “See you in New York.”
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