Former world tennis No 1 Naomi Osaka has announced she is pregnant with her first child and plans to return to the court for next year’s Australian Open.
The 25-year-old Japanese tennis player pulled out of the first Grand Slam of the year last week without giving an official reason, but today posted a photo from a video zone on social media and confirmed she is expecting a baby.
“The last few years have been interesting, but this most difficult period of my life is perhaps the most fun. The last months away from sports have made me appreciate and love even more the game to which I have dedicated my life. I also realized that life is too short and I shouldn’t take some moments for granted. I know I have a lot more ahead of me in the future, but one thing I’m most looking forward to is my kid watching one of my games and saying: That’s my mother”, tweeted Naomi Osaka. “The 2023 will be full of lessons and I hope to see you early next year because I will be at the Australian Open in 2024. I love you all so much”, added she.
The 25-year-old Naomi Osaka is currently 47th in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. She has seven titles in her career. The Japanese is a four-time Grand Slam champion, having won the Australian Open twice (2019, 2021) and the US Open twice (2018, 2020). She is a former world number 1, but in the last two or three years she has had mental health issues and has slipped down the rankings.
The Australian Open will be held from January 16 to 29.
