'Every day is a new blessing:' Tennis star Naomi Osaka reveals pregnancy
The four-time Grand Slam champion and cauldron lighter for Tokyo 2020 shared her pregnancy news in a social media post, saying she planned to return to competition in 2024.
Tennis
Tennis star Naomi Osaka has revealed she's expecting a baby in 2023.
The four-time Grand Slam singles champion, who lit the cauldron for the Olympic Summer Games Tokyo 2020 in 2021, shared the news on social media with a photo of her sonogram.
"Every day is a new blessing and adventure," Osaka, 25, wrote. "I realize that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted. ... One thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'That's my mom.'"
The Japanese star hadn't played a competitive match since withdrawing from an event in her home country in September, pulling out of this month's Australian Open last week.
Osaka won just three of 10 matches played after making the Miami final in March.
She said she plans to be back at the AO in 2024, however: "I'll see you guys in the start of the next one of course I'll be at [the Australian Open] 2024."
Osaka has reached world No. 1 and become a global superstar with her on-court successes and off-court commercial deals, but has also been open about her battles with anxiety and mental health - speaking out about the issues at length over the last three years.
"The past few years have been interesting to say the least," Osaka said at the beginning of the post. "But I find that it's the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun."
Osaka joins fellow Slam champion Ashleigh Barty in the mother-to-be category. Barty, the 2022 AO champ who retired in March, posted her pregnancy news just a few days ago.