Naomi Osaka back on the tennis court after giving birth

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20th Jul, 2023. 10:11 pm
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Naomi Osaka back on the tennis court after giving birth.
She has not played in a tournament since September 2022.
She is ranked 439 in the world, her lowest ranking since 2013.

Just a few days after giving birth to her first child, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was spotted engaging in training.

The 25-year-old tennis star and her boyfriend Cordae, a three-time Grammy-nominated rap artist, joyfully welcomed their baby in early July. The rapper announced the birth during one of his concerts in Canada.

“My daughter Shai was just born a couple of days ago, so I dedicate this performance to my baby girl Shai,” Cordae spoke on the mic.

In a Twitter video shared by a media personality based in Haiti, footage shows Osaka performing sideway walks. The 25-year-old tennis sensation announced her pregnancy in January 2023.

Her last match was a victorious first-round encounter against Australia’s Daria Saville at the Pan Pacific Open in September.

However, she couldn’t proceed to the second round as she had to withdraw from the tournament due to illness before her scheduled match against Brazilian player Beatriz Haddad Maia on September 22.

“I am really sorry that I am not able to compete today. It’s an honor to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of amazing fans here in Japan. I wish I could have stepped on the court today, but my body won’t let me,” Osaka said.

It must be noted that Osaka announced in her pregnancy post that she would resume training at the start of 2024 as her goal is to compete in the Australian Open.

Osaka — former world no. 1 — has won four Grand Slams including US Open in 2018 and 2020 and Australian Open in 2019 and 2021.

Now due to her long absence on the court, she has dropped to rank 439, her lowest since 2013.

Aside from her professional life, Osaka has suffered from depression since the 2018 US Open. Meanwhile, in 2021, she was fined $15,000 because she refused to take part in the required press conference during the French Open.

Following the incident, she withdrew from the tournament and cited “dealing with mental health” as the reason. She also withdrew from Wimbledon for the same reason.

Naomi Osaka back on the tennis court after giving birth

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