Since Naomi Osaka’s return to the tennis court, everything has changed. While her love for the game remains intact, the mental health scars she has carried from past challenges are still evident. Recently, Kim Clijsters, who won the US Open after pregnancy shed light on the mental toll such a comeback can take, further exposing the challenges Osaka faces as she navigates this new chapter.

After the birth of her first child with rapper Cordae in July 2023, Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, returned to the court in January. However, her comeback has been challenging. Osaka lost in the first round of the Australian Open, followed by second-round exits at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and now a second-round exit at the US Open.

Looking into that, in a recent podcast conversation, Kim Clijsters, who herself broke tennis stereotypes with a major win post having a child, opened up about her defeat and talked about her mental health struggle off the tennis court. She stated, “I felt already at the French Open, when the best match that she played was against Iga Swiatek, where she had match points. I felt like she made a big improvement at that stage. And then her first round, I think it was Ostapenko, right, that she that she beat in the first round of like, great tennis,”

Following that, she added, “And so I really, really thought that she kind of that was kind of a new, fresh start for her, where she could, could maybe push, you know, like, deeper into the second week of the US Open. But then yeah, at times, like when you then watch her next match, you still feel like there’s that yeah, the doubt creeps in at times. And, yeah, maybe the inability to kind of read the opponent of times as well.”

Moreover, winning the 2009 US Open women’s singles title was a monumental achievement for Kim Clijsters, marking a remarkable return to the top of the sport after a two-year hiatus. Her victory was not just a personal triumph but a significant milestone for working mothers worldwide. Clijsters’ comeback was particularly inspiring, as it came after the birth of her daughter, Jada.

Subsequently, Clijsters joined the ranks of trailblazing tennis players like Serena Williams, who also achieved remarkable feats post-motherhood, such as winning titles while expecting her daughter Olympia. Coming back to the Japanese tennis player, Naomi Osaka acknowledged a profound sense of unfamiliarity with herself after her early withdrawal from the Cincinnati Open, capping off a series of disappointing performances since her return from maternity leave. Reflecting on her struggles, Osaka shared her frustration on Instagram, stating, “My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though; my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body.”

On the other hand, just a few weeks ago, we also opened up about how giving birth was quite a traumatizing experience for her.

Naomi Osaka’s honest revelation on giving birth

Rumors surfaced a few months ago claiming Osaka was expecting her second kid. In response to a fan’s incorrect assertion that Osaka was expecting her second kid, Osaka bravely reacted in a previous video. The fan hoped Osaka many more happy returns of the fictitious baby. Osaka, though, responded calmly but firmly.

She stated, “I just wanna say, I’m not preggos, but if I was, I wouldn’t want many more. Because giving birth was traumatic. But thank you, though, for your blessings.” However, even before pregnancy, mental health was one of the major concerns for the four-time Grand Slam champion, but with time, a lot of things changed.

However, despite her past success at the US Open, where she has won two Grand Slam titles, Naomi Osaka’s comeback has been overshadowed by her ongoing mental health struggles following pregnancy.