There’s not much of an off-court life when players are focused on upping their professional careers. However, one can never be too busy to sit back and binge-watch their favourite movies. Some like Naomi Osaka, even share their favorite cinema masterpieces for fans to enjoy and, maybe, help them note some key takeaways from it. And, in this case, the movie ironically reflects some laudable qualities of the Japanese star.

Osaka commenced the 2025 season with a rich vein of form. She reached her first tour-level finals in two years at the ASB Classic, before conceding to champion Clara Tauson due to an abdominal injury. Osaka last took to the court at the Australian Open where she impressed fans by reaching the third-round. However, despite trailing R3 opponent Belinda Bencic by a set, the former World No. 1 ended her campaign Down Under after suffering an abdominal strain. Osaka hasn’t returned to action since then.

Seeing as she is likely restoring her fitness and staying away from competition, the Japanese star has been quite active on social media. Subsequently, she posted a story on her Instagram, disclosing one of her “top three favourite movies”.

The four-time Slam winner reposted a reel to her account, where fans could see a short clip from the movie ‘Spirited Away’, animated by Studio Ghibli. For those unaware, the 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, minted a cool $395.8 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossed Japanese cinema piece of all time.

The movie revolves around a ten-year-old protagonist, Chihiro, and her battle to free her parents from supernatural clutches. Her story aptly portrays how children learn to be better and more introspective to deal with the complex dynamic of authoritative figures. The character’s poignant journey, showcasing traits of resilience, is also echoed by the Japanese superstar herself. Despite struggling to maintain a commanding status on the WTA, Osaka hasn’t given up on her dream of making a comeback.

Just last year, she parted ways with ex-coach Wim Fissette and stunned fans after joining forces with Patrick Mouratoglou, former coach to American legend Serena Williams. And her decision to reshuffle did not disappoint. Osaka’s performance has gained notable traction compared to her previous outings from when she came back from her pregnancy hiatus last year.

However, you can bet that the Japanese sensation won’t settle for anything less that doesn’t match her high expectations.

Naomi Osaka says she won’t ‘hang around’ if her results don’t improve

Japanese superstar Naomi Osaka, before kicking off her ASB Classic campaign, said that she was “humbled” by her performance last year after resuming professional tennis following a 15-month pregnancy hiatus. The former World No. 1 registered a 22-17 win-loss singles record in 2024- reaching the quarterfinals in Doha and ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands – before finishing the season ranked No. 58. However, according to Osaka, she can’t make do with such results.

She told the reporters during a pre-tournament presser: “I don’t think I’m the type of player that would hang around. I have a lot of respect for all the players on tour, but the point of my life that I’m at right now, if I’m not above a certain ranking, I don’t see myself playing for a while. I’d rather spend time with my daughter if I’m not where I think I should be and where I feel like I can be.”

“I think 2024 humbled me, but I also feel like I grew a lot. I worked way harder than I’ve ever worked before. So in that, I guess it was very painful to not get the results I wanted, but I feel like I’m growing and learning and I am really excited for this year, “she added. Osaka lifted the Australian Open crown in 2019 and 2021 and claimed glory at the US Open in 2018 and 2020.

Despite injury setbacks, the Japanese player still has a deep love for the sport and wants to restore her balance on the tour. For now, Osaka will likely recover from her abdominal strain and hope to return for some more action.