“One thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone ‘that’s my mom'”
When Naomi Osaka withdrew from this year’s Australian Open, no one quite knew what to think. But it turns out it’s happy news for the tennis champion—just days later, she announced that she’s expecting her first child!
“Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023,” she wrote in the caption of a heartwarming Instagram post announcing the news. On the first slide, she shared a photo of a sonogram. On the next slide, she wrote a statement to her fans and supporters.
“The past few years have been interesting, to say the least, but I find that its the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun,” the 25-year-old star wrote. “These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnSHJx9Jw7Z/
Osaka continued, “I realize that life is so short, and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure. I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom’, haha. 2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me, and I hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I’ll be at Aus 2024.”
She ended her statement with a sweet message to her fans: “Love you all infinitely.”
Osaka included the statement in both English and Japanese. She also posted it to Twitter.
Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023. pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 11, 2023
At the end of her statement, Osaka included a “sidenote” that contains some wisdom we can all take to heart.
“I don’t think there’s a perfectly correct path to take in life but I always felt that if you move forward with good intentions you’ll find your way eventually,” she wrote.
Osaka has been open about her struggles balancing her tennis career and her mental health, even sharing in 2021 that she was considering taking time away from the sport. While we’ll miss watching her play, we can’t wait to see this next chapter unfold for her.
