‘Decompressing The Pressure’: Naomi Osaka Reveals How Friends Helped Her Love Tennis Again

4-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has finally returned to professional tennis. The 24-year-old star had taken time off indefinitely from the sport after the US Open 2021, citing mental health concerns.

In fact, she had even mentioned how playing and even winning had stopped making her happy at all. Now, Osaka shares how she spent her time after the US Open, and eventually rediscovered her love for the game.

Naomi Osaka never got to enjoy life as it is

Osaka shared that she had no idea what to do next after she announced her exit from the tour. She mostly began staying at home, and visiting friends who lived nearby.

Then, she reveals how she had never gotten to live that sort of life ever. “I feel like that’s also an experience that I haven’t been able to have in my life,” Naomi Osaka expressed. This was because of the fact that her sport makes her travel the world almost all year long.

Thus, she was never able to ever go to “sleepovers and stuff like that”, as she states. For Osaka, then, “it was cool to be able to do that.” Moreover, getting away from the game with no deadline looming over her to return by, had its other benefits as well.

The Japanese-American star shared how going away helped her decompress the pressure of the tour and expectations from the world. Then, slowly but surely, she began to “regain the feeling of love” that she had towards tennis.

ALSO READ: ‘They’re Like My Family’: Naomi Osaka Credits Her Team For Helping Her Prepare for Australian Open 2022 After 4-Month Hiatus

After all, Naomi Osaka had begun playing tennis at the age of three. “I never really took a break,” she admits. Then, talking about rediscovering her passion for the game, she said, “it’s good to remember why you’re playing.”

Osaka only has one single goal for 2022

When asked about her goals for 2022 on the tour, Osaka promptly replied that she only had one. In fact, her goal has nothing to do with results and titles.

“For me, I just want to feel like every time I step on the court I’m having fun,” Naomi Osaka claims. Furthermore, she also has another goal for her post-match conferences.

Referring to her 2021 presser where she broke into tears, Osaka reveals “that I’m never going to cry again, so hopefully that works out in my favor.”

Clearly, this year, Naomi Osaka is on the tour to have fun and put herself first, and we can’t wait to see the results that reaps.

WATCH THIS STORY: Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, Andy Murray and Other Tennis Stars’ Biggest Controversies in 2021