Naomi Osaka backs herself to return and win a Grand Slam
Naomi Osaka has made it clear that she intends to return to tennis after she gives birth to her first child.
Speculation had swirled surrounding the Japan star after she announced her pregnancy.
Osaka is very well set up for life after tennis despite her relatively tender years thanks to some savvy investments.
However, she has revealed that she has the desire to get back into the game.
“I definitely plan to come back…it’s kind of like a break a little bit, but also I feel very competitive still, and I really want to win more slams,” she told WBS according to tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg.
Naomi Osaka in a TV interview with WBS in Japan:
"I definitely plan to come back…it's kind of like a break a little bit, but also I feel very competitive still, and I really want to win more slams."
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) March 28, 2023
She hasn’t let being pregnant prevent her from being active.
Osaka has also teamed up with Modern Health to put together a collection of children’s mindfullness meditations.
“As I’ve gotten older, I have really relied more on meditation to help manage my feelings. I wish that I had utilized it more as a kid which is why I’m so excited to have children’s meditations available now kids of all ages,” she told PEOPLE.
“I love that I am able to help create resources for kids that weren’t available or common when I was a kid. I hope that kids are able to learn how to manage their feelings and emotions at an early age so that they can continue to use these tools later in life.”
While she has had her struggles with mental health, Osaka knows more than most the importance of dissolving the stigma around seeking help and how opening up can be a catalyst for healing.
Osaka’s openess about her struggles with mental health has proven an inspiration to many people around the world.
“It’s always really heartwarming when people tell me that I have helped them with their own struggles.”
She recently recounted an incident where someone let her know how much it means to see someone with her profile open up about depression and anxiety.
“I remember being in a grocery store one time and someone stopped me to tell me how much I meant to them as they were dealing with their own mental health struggles,” she shared.
“At the time, I was doing it for myself but I realized that my decision to help myself was also helping many others.”
Osaka has spoken about her intentions to change the perception about WTA Tour players returning after starting a family.
She wouldn’t put a timeline of her return, but it is clear she isn’t done with tennis.
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