“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.” Naomi Osaka’s comeback, after embracing motherhood and welcoming daughter Shai, hasn’t gone down well. The four-time Major winner had a poor run last season where she failed to win a single WTA trophy. Injuries escalated her problems even further. And, the new season hasn’t been any different. At the ASB Classic this year, Osaka impressed with her deep run in the finals. However, she was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury. Even in Melbourne, the two-time AO queen failed to overcome her physical challenges, as a persistent abdominal strain forced her out, in the third round. But guess what? Despite the injury setbacks, Osaka has found a new reason to be happy.

Just days ago, Osaka shared good news for her fans who were eager to watch her on the court once again. In a Q&A session on her Instagram, the 27-year-old confirmed her return with the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells next month. But Osaka is also looking at the bigger picture now, considering that she’s a mother. The Japanese WTA star gave birth to Shai in 2023 and took a long maternity leave before making her return last season.

Since welcoming the little one, the WTA pro has realized that life’s more than tennis and her on-court goals. Yes, she wants to achieve her lost glory, but nothing compares when it comes to Shai. “What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m patiently impatient,” she said, as reported by CNN on February 22. Explaining her newfound perspective, she added, “Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day”

Osaka has previously insisted as well that she will prioritize motherhood over her career and its longevity. Ahead of her appearance at the Brisbane International in late December, last season, she said, “Right now, freedom for me is being able to spend time with my daughter, to see the joy in her eyes, and to know that, as long as I am there for her, and a role model for her, then no other outside voice matters”

But it doesn’t mean she is not focused on her on-court goals. She may not be going through a great phase right now, but Osaka is determined to make a ‘major’ return. And what could be better than clinching her fifth Slam?

Naomi Osaka vows to win her fifth Major

The World No.57 won her first Slam over six years ago at the 2018 US Open. In the final, she beat none other than 23-time GS champion and former WTA pro Serena Williams. After that famous win, Naomi Osaka added three more Slam trophies to her credit. She became the Australian Open champion on two occasions (2019 and 2021). Plus, she also bagged her second US Open title in 2020. But Wimbledon and French Open titles are still out of her reach. And guess what? She’s now locked her target on these two.

“I have a lot of goals going forward. For as long as I can play, I really want to win Wimbledon and Roland Garros (the French Open) and get a career grand slam,” she said in the same interview with CNN. “It’s interesting when I hear from an outside perspective because, of course, all of the achievements (I’ve had so far) are great, but I always feel like there’s a lot more to do.”

Osaka’s best run at the All England Club was in 2017 and 2018 when she reached the R32. At the Roland Garros, too, she couldn’t move past the R32 in 2016, 2018, and 2019. While she’s gearing up for a comeback with the Indian Wells in March, it won’t be an easy campaign for the 27-year-old. Her last stint at the BNP Paribas Open wasn’t quite inspiring, to say the least. After returning from maternity leave in early 2024, she failed to make a deep run at the event, as Belgium’s Elise Mertens ousted her in the third round with a score line of 7-5, 6-4.

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