Indian Wells: Naomi Osaka Puts Motherhood Above Tennis as She Picks the ‘Happiest’ Moment of Her Day

Naomi Osaka now has another responsibility in her life along with keeping her tennis game at the highest level possible. She gave birth to her daughter, Shai, in July 2023 and has been practicing to return to the top ever since. While she trains hard day in and day out, the athlete in her leaves the moment she comes back to her daughter. 

While Osaka has to work harder than ever to return to the top, she is not shying away from her motherly duties in the slightest. She has been seen in outings with her daughter and recently opened up to share how she feels coming back to her.

“When I get home…I’m immediately not an athlete” – Naomi Osaka is exploring a new persona of herself with baby Shai

The Japanese-American player was at the top of the WTA for a long time. Since her hiatus, Osaka is aiming to return to the same stage she did previously. She is training hard on the tennis court. As she gets busy to bring her career back on track, the four-time grand slam champion also continues to grow as a mother. In a recent interview with Tennis Channel, Osaka opened up about switching her personality in a moment from an athlete to a mother once she gets home.

Osaka explains, “It’s exciting, honestly, probably the happiest moments of my day are just to come back and to see her having fun. And, I kind of realized, like, I feel like I clock out in a way, when I get home because I’m immediately not an athlete. I’m like her mom, of course. And, it’s a new feeling, but I enjoy it a lot.”

As she continues learning how to be a good mother, Osaka reveals how her outlook on the world has changed and continues to change when she became a mother.

Naomi Osaka wants to be someone who can inspire her daughter

In an early January episode of the Australian Open Show podcast, Osaka disclosed a significant change in her mindset. She revealed that it is fueled by her newborn kid, making it even more intriguing. In a candid moment, Osaka shared: “I mean, of course, I have big goals. I think it’s better to have big goals. And rather than little goals and achieve all those little goals, but I think for me, I just want to inspire my daughter.”

Osaka wants to advance in her career so that her daughter can see the devotion and love she has put into this important phase of her life. The former number 1 further said she also has much more appreciation for other players now.

Osaka embarked on her comeback in 2024, and her aim was to reach as high a level as she could. She wants to become an inspiration to her daughter and also finds herself growing as a mother.

Read More – Indian Wells 2024: ‘Perfectionist’ Naomi Osaka Turns Realistic After Disappointing Start to Season