Naomi Osaka Reveals How Having a Child Has Changed Her Perspective on Tennis

The professional athlete has returned to the court after her season-long hiatus with excitement and a refreshed outlook.

Naomi Osaka / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Naomi Osaka is used to juggling a lot of passions and projects at once. The Japanese professional athlete started playing tennis at the age of 3. Since then, her responsibilities and goals have only multiplied. Sure, she is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion, but she is also an entrepreneur and a dedicated voice in the fashion space. And, last summer, she became a mom.

Leading up to the birth of her daughter, Shai, last July, Osaka took several months off from tennis. “This time changed my perspective a lot,” she told fellow tennis professional Nick Kyrgios on the latest episode of his podcast, Good Trouble. The break gave her a chance to return with fresh eyes, to “appreciate everything and know that when you were a kid you would have dreamed to be in the position you are in right now.”

The 26-year-old stated that she feels like she has a purpose again—something she didn’t have “for the past two years [she] was playing tennis.” That purpose is thanks, in part, to her daughter. “I just feel like every second counts,” she said of her newfound perspective.

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Osaka has a packed tennis schedule this year. She attributed the decision to her recent realization that “the athlete lifespan isn’t that long.” But tennis has been a part of her life since she was very young, “so I want to treasure it for as long as I can,” she said.

At the end of the day, though, it all comes back to her daughter. “I also want to play long enough for Shai to see me play,” Osaka said.

It’s not just about playing and winning for Osaka. Her “ultimate goal” is “to keep making life easier and better for the generation that comes after [her],” she remarked. “I would hope that ... Shai has more opportunities than me.”