Naomi Osaka has made the difficult decision to end her 2024 season due to a ruptured abdominal muscle, and a bulged disc. She has withdrawn from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Hong Kong Tennis Open, and other tournaments. Despite her health challenges, Osaka continues to connect with her fans, recently sharing an emotional post about her postpartum journey. The outpouring of support from fans and followers has been profoundly uplifting, leaving Osaka feeling deeply emotional as she dropped a gratitude note for her fans.

Naomi Osaka took to Instagram to showcase a series of photos displaying her astonishing transformation over the last year, illustrating her transition from pregnancy weight gain to her present fit shape. “I wanted to say ‘body changes throughout the year,’ but it actually means a lot more to me than that,” the new mom expressed in the caption. Following that, she candidly admitted,

“There were moments this year where I felt really ashamed of my body, (for example when I had to wear form fitting tennis clothes lol). I was also constantly struggling with this overwhelming urge to “snapback”, seeing other mom’s seemingly shrink immediately after having their baby was an expectation I began to put on myself.”

Feeling the outpouring of love from her followers, Osaka got overwhelmed with the supportive response she received over the post. In her Instagram story, she expressed her gratitude with heartfelt words: “Seeing all the women being uplifting and kind towards one another in the comments of my last post makes my heart so warm.”

Let’s reverse our gears to when Osaka became a mom. Only fifteen days after giving birth to her daughter, Skai, in July 2023, Osaka made an amazing comeback to training. In a video posted by Haitian media personality, Wendell Theodore, the 25-year-old tennis star, was spotted practicing at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. And, just eight months after becoming a mother, she was already two months into her comeback. However, her comeback has not been on par.

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the fourth round of the China Open against Coco Gauff due to a recurring back injury. This comes after a disappointing second round loss in the US Open. Plus at the Cincinnati Masters, where she was eliminated in the qualifiers. Following her loss to Ashlyn Krueger in Cincinnati, Osaka candidly spoke about the challenges she has faced in the aftermath of her pregnancy.

Osaka’s heartbreaking postpartum admission

Following her loss, Naomi Osaka posted her thoughts on her illustrious tennis career on her official Instagram account on August 13. She emphasized that she is not particularly troubled by the defeats she has had on the court, even if she noted that the sport has its share of ups and downs.

She said, “My biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.” Osaka said she hoped this difficult emotion would only be a “small phase,” comparing her present emotional condition to what it’s like to be postpartum.

In a heartfelt show of support, Taylor Townsend left a series of ‘red-hearted’ emojis on Naomi Osaka’s Instagram post, expressing her understanding of the challenges Osaka is currently facing. This gesture of solidarity is particularly meaningful for Osaka, who has openly shared her tough postpartum journey.

However, what are your thoughts on Osaka’s postpartum revelation? Do let us know in the comment section below.