Article by David Istrate – Published on Thursday, 01 January 2026, 17:44 / Updated on Thursday, 01 January 2026 17:45
Naomi Osaka (28 years old, 16 WTA) will debut in the new season at the United Cup, a tournament that takes place from June 2-11 in Perth and Sydney, two important cities in Australia. Before the start of the competition, the Japanese spoke about the changes that occurred in her mentality after becoming a mother.
On July 7, 2023, Naomi Osaka gave birth to a baby girl whom she named Shai. Half a year after giving birth, the quadruple Grand Slam winner returned to the tennis court, but two complicated years followed, with many injuries.
Naomi Osaka: “I know my main role in life is not to be a tennis player”
In addition, Osaka had to manage the challenge of juggling her sports career with her role as a mother. In 2025, the year in which he tested a partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou, Simona Halep's former coach, the Japanese had a record of 35 wins and 15 losses, winning a WTA 125 title in France in Saint Malo.
Now, Osaka is about to start a new season, and in that context, she talked about how she has changed since having Shai.
“My mentality has evolved a lot since I became a mother,” revealed the 28-year-old tennis player. “I no longer take things so personally and judge myself based on wins and losses. I approach every tournament as a great opportunity to develop myself and know that my main role in life is not to be a tennis player“, she added, quoted by Punto de Break.
Osaka also said a few words about the challenges she faces.
“I want to spend time with my daughter and it's not easybecause I have to invest many hours in training and taking care of myself if I want to be successful. I just hope that one day I'll understand what I'm doing,” concluded the double Australian Open and US Open champion.
At the United Cup, in group E, Naomi Osaka will duel with Maria Sakkari and Emma Răducanu.
