January 12, (THEWILL) – On Wednesday, four-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka, announced she was pregnant. The 25-year-old Japanese tennis player withdrew from the Australian Open earlier this week and has not played since September.
In a statement on social media, Osaka said, “2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me. One thing I am looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom’.”
Osaka won the last of her four Grand Slams at the Australian Open in 2021 but has spoken about the difficulties she has faced since that memorable victory. In May 2021, after pulling out of the French Open, she revealed that she had “suffered long bouts of depression” ever since winning her first major title, the US Open, in 2018.
In September 2021, she took a five-month break from the sport. She lost in the third round of the Australian Open on her return, then the first round of the French Open, missed Wimbledon because of injury and lost in the opening round of the US Open. Osaka played last at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September and has dropped to 47 in the world rankings.
She also said: “The past few years have been interesting, to say the least, but I find that it is the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun. These few months away from the sport have really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to. I realise that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure. I know I have so much to look forward to in the future.”
Osaka is the latest high-profile player to take a break from tennis due to pregnancy. Germany’s three-time Grand Slam champion, Angelique Kerber, revealed her pregnancy in August, suggesting she will return after giving birth, while former world number three, Elina Svitolina, is expected to make her comeback this year after giving birth last October.
Serena Williams took a break to give birth in 2017 and returned later the same year, continuing to play before retiring in 2022. Osaka hopes to return to the sport in 2024.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
