Motherhood changes people and Naomi Osaka is not an exception to that. This Japanese WTA star previously surprised her fans by revealing how the birth of her daughter motivated her career goals as she wishes to “show her around the world”. From Osaka’s straight confession of “playing for her (Shai),” to accepting how her motherhood journey made her “appreciate a lot of different things”, this US Open winner showcased the true element behind her zeal for success on this Mother’s Day.

After bagging the lovely nickname “Clayomi” from her fans in Rome, Osaka offered a more vested interest in motherhood. However, that is not impacting this Japanese WTA star’s performance as she is using her daughter as a fuelling force for her ambitions and successes. “I do think, after Shai was born, my mentality is that I’m a lot more hungry. I think winning three matches here is something that I’m extremely positive and happy about. I don’t take it for granted at all. I want to keep going.” Osaka said in a press conference post-victory in Rome.

Despite showing enthusiasm to fight dedicatedly on the court for Shai, Osaka couldn’t help but let her fans know about her motherhood challenges. She mentions how long tour days separate her from her daughter. However, she brings back the old enthusiasm by revealing how meeting Shai motivates her to perform till her last energy. “I don’t know. I just want to see how far I can go. I don’t know, I’m also really excited to see Shai, so it makes me happy every day to wake up. It’s like T minus nine days till I see her, so…” she said.

Naomi Osaka has been very vocal about her love for her daughter Shai. In an interview with Japan’s famous broadcasting platform NHK, Osaka said- “I kind of like the feeling of having the responsibility of having to take care of Shai and wanting to show her around the world. I kind of feel more like I’m playing for her [Shai],”

While Osaka’s message echoed the love she holds for her baby daughter, it also offers to see her challenges to balance professional tennis with motherhood. She further said- “I mean, I FaceTime her a lot. I get a lot of videos. She knows how to, like, kiss the phone. If I FaceTime her and I go (kissing sounds into the phone), then she’ll kiss the phone back. I don’t know, it’s really cute. I don’t feel like I’m missing too much ’cause I’m getting so many updates, yeah.”

 

Not only Shai fuelled Osaka’s hunger for tennis titles, but she also helped her mother to overcome her mental health issues. Shai’s presence in Osaka’s life shows how a child’s support can do wonders for their parents.

Naomi Osaka revealed how her daughter Shai helped her “with the way” she viewed things

Osaka’s battle with mental health has always been public. Fans surely remember the humiliating moment in 2018 when she defeated Serena Williams and had to cover her head to save herself from the crowd’s degraded dismissal of her victory. Following Osaka’s mental health issues, she also withdrew from the French Open 2021. However, after giving birth to her daughter Shai, things have definitely changed for this Japanese tennis star.

During this year’s Australian Open tour, Osaka said- “I think I’m a lot more open-minded and a lot more patient. But also I feel a lot stronger, I don’t know physically, but I think Shai definitely helped me with the way I view things. The last couple years that I played before I had my daughter, I didn’t return as much love as I was given”

Naomi Osaka’s revelations about how Shai instigated her newfound zeal for success, are a testament to her dedication to her family. Osaka’s love for Shai bears the perfect gift for their fans this Mother’s Day.