Motherhood Triggers Naomi Osaka’s Guilt as She Reflects on ‘Selfish Sad’ Feeling Ahead of Australian Open

For the WTA players, juggling the responsibilities of being a mother and an athlete has never been a simple task. Even the Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who recently embraced motherhood, is feeling the pressure of diligently following both roles, according to her recent disclosures.

After embarking on a parenthood journey, the former world No. 1 player has finally returned to the court and will play her first Grand Slam tournament since the 2022 US Open. Emphasizing her participation in the Australian Open, Osaka recently opened up about how she is feeling ‘selfish sad’ as her tennis duties separate her from her daughter.

Naomi Osaka wishes her daughter could come with her to the Land Down Under

After giving birth to daughter Shai in 2023, the WTA superstar made her comeback at the recently concluded Brisbane International. While she has traveled to Australia to play in tournaments, Naomi Osaka’s daughter has stayed back home in the US. Notably, in a press conference ahead of the Australian Open, Osaka was asked if it has been ‘hard’ for her to stay away from Shai for almost three weeks.

“It’s definitely been really hard. She’s learning things while I’m gone. I’m hoping she doesn’t learn how to crawl before I come back,” the 4-time singles Grand Slam champion said. As she is not there when her daughter is doing her little plank, Osaka revealed that she is feeling “selfish sad.” She added, “I’m definitely sad, but I feel like it’s a selfish sad because I want her to be here.”

Osaka on why she has not traveled to Australia with her little daughter

Even though she wants to be there with her daughter, Naomi Osaka opened up about how she feels that Shai should stay at home as it is ‘her whole environment.’ In the same press conference, the 4-time singles Grand Slam champion said, “But I think for her health and like her whole environment is at home – you know what I mean?”

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However, the former Australian Open champion is making the most of the video and audio calling services to stay in touch with her kid since she doesn’t want to put her out there while she’s still so little. Osaka said, “I FaceTime her often, so…”

What do you think of the Japanese tennis player’s decision to not travel to Australia with her daughter? Are you excited to see her dominate the hard court again? Let us know in the comments section.

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