Former world No.1 and new mom Naomi Osaka returns to tennis court for star battle with Rui Hachimura
The four-time Grand Slam winner and new mother enjoyed a friendly game of tennis against LA Lakers forward Rui Hachimura. Read our story to find out who won the encounter.
Tennis
Naomi Osaka has returned to the court post-birth - but it was just for a friendly game of tennis against another Japanese superstar.
Despite being out of play for almost a year, Osaka secured an easy victory in a match that saw her opponent running into the net and even threatening to smash the raquet.
The disappointed runner-up? LA Lakers player Rui Hachimura.
The two Japanese idols faced off in a fun singles match. Osaka who gave birth to her first child in July was last seen on the international stage in September 2022 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before announcing her pregnancy via Instagram in January 2023. In a later post Osaka revealed that she and her boyfriend of four years, USA rapper Cordae, would be having a baby girl.
Osaka has also confirmed her plans for a comeback in 2024 ahead of the Australian Open.
Former world No.1 in singles, she dominated the Australian Open, taking the title in 2019 and 2021. Tallying these with her wins at the 2018 and 2020 US Open make Osaka a four-time Grand Slam singles champion.
After defeating her lifelong idol Serena Williams in 2018, Osaka became the first Japanese player to win a major singles title and the first Asian player to hold a top ranking in singles.
Williams was making a comeback of her own in 2018, having given birth to her first daughter Olympia, the year prior.
One thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, “that’s my mom'" - Osaka on Instagram in January 2023
Former world No.1 and new mom Naomi Osaka returns to tennis court for star battle with Rui Hachimura saka previously took a break from tennis in 2021, citing that she needed time to focus on her mental health and well-being. She returned to the court in 2022 at the Melbourne Summer Set 1.
Historically open with her mental health struggles, Osaka told People Magazine in March that she will be releasing a collection of children’s meditations, as this is something that has helped her on her own journey.
“I just want to be the best version of myself," she told People. "Obviously, I’ve never been a mother before so I’m taking it day-by-day and just trying to be someone that my son or daughter will be proud of."