“Becoming a mother forced me to see life and tennis in a different way” – Naomi Osaka. The 27-year-old Japanese star and her longtime boyfriend, rapper Cordae, welcomed their first daughter, Shai in July 2023. She took a nearly 15-month hiatus from tennis and returned to action in Brisbane earlier this year. Though her 2024 season ended abruptly due to a back injury, she is glad over the miles she covered following her pregnancy and thanking her body for the incredible journey over the past year. Another tennis mom, Taylor Townsend was also seen sharing her thoughts on the same and praising the Japanese star with a comment on Osaka’s recent IG post.

Speaking about pregnancy, Naomi Osaka once said, “I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is; no one really talks about it as much. Going into it, you kind of think, ‘Oh, it’s this beautiful journey.’ But it’s kind of rough.” She experienced various challenges during her pregnancy and even after giving birth to Shai, challenges kept on coming her way. There were times when she felt “I don’t feel like I’m in body.” However, recently Osaka shared an IG post in which she was seen embracing the challenges that her body overcame successfully.

In a recent post, the star claimed, “There were moments this year where I felt really ashamed of my body…Most weeks would feel similar to the previous week and the weight didn’t disappear overnight so it was a bit disheartening.” However, still managing to get back to the Tour and play 38 matches is quite remarkable! Highlighting the transition, Osaka added, “My body has done so much for me and adapted so well to the tasks that I’m asking from it, I’m extremely grateful and thankful…I’m excited to learn more about what you’re capable of in the years to come.” Not long after Naomi Osaka’s post, another tennis mom, Taylor Townsend commented, “This is so real! Our bodies are amazing! YOU ARE AMAZING! Keep shining my love.”

Taylor Townsend gave birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey on March 14, 2021. She also had to walk a similar route to Osaka while coming back to the professional tennis. “The bounceback, it’s difficult,” said Townsend of her comeback to tennis after embracing motherhood. Townsend has also spoken about the challenges she had during and after pregnancy multiple times in the past/

This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen Townsend heaping praise on the Japanese star. Previously, after Naomi Osaka‘s exit from the 2024 French Open, we saw the American showing support for the former world number one. After her defeat at the hands of Iga Swiatek in a hard-fought match, Osaka wrote, “Thank you, I had fun. See you next time.” Taylor Townsend later on responded to that post saying, “You are the truth I know you are proud of you..but girl..so am I!” Both these tennis stars have now become an inspiration to all working mothers and new moms. Their journey has truly been remarkable so far! What does Osaka think of this, though?

Japanese superstar, Naomi Osaka is honored to be an advocate for all working moms and body positivity

Naomi Osaka was currently spotted enjoying her extended stay in Tokyo with her kid, Shai. She was seen going for a shopping date with her daughter. Osaka shared a few glimpses of the adorable moment on her IG account. “I let Shai pick when we go shopping, and I can’t decide between two things. She hasn’t missed so far Natural fashionista lol,” she captioned the post. Being a tennis pro is not so easy, it literally takes away quite a significant amount of time from the player’s personal lives. So, these tiny moments with family members are what the players always seek in the middle of their hectic schedules.

Being a working mom is always a challenging task, but Naomi Osaka loves taking challenges. We know that, right? In August this year in Toronto, she had an interaction with a fan while signing autographs. She revealed that the fan explained how she was having a tough time, and then she heard something said by Naomi Osaka on the court on the challenges of motherhood, which later on turned out to be a major boost for the fan. How does it feel to set an example by herself?

“For me, it’s definitely an honor. I don’t know, I still feel like I’m figuring myself out, so I’m always a little shocked when someone says that something that I’ve said or done has helped them out, but I really treasure that a lot,” said Osaka. She further added, “I feel like it’s a beautiful, magical thing that you’ve created a life inside of you, and you almost don’t even really get to treasure that moment.” The tennis player clearly loves setting an example on and off the court. What a character! We hope she gets back in form next season!