Naomi Osaka‘s name hit the headlines again when she decided to withdraw from the ASB Classic final. Despite winning the first set 6-4 against the fifth seed Clara Tauson, Osaka had to pull out due to an apparent core injury. Although she has won four Grand Slam titles and reached the World No. 1 ranking before, Osaka’s career has not regained momentum since she returned to the court after her maternity leave. To revitalize her career back on level terms, an American legend has now shared his mantra with Osaka, which might help her regain her old rhythm ahead of the new season.
Naomi Osaka took a break from tennis shortly after her first-round loss to Danielle Collins at the 2022 US Open. Her decision stemmed from a desire to prioritize her mental health, as she had persistently struggled with the pressures of her rapid rise to stardom following her first Grand Slam victory at the 2018 US Open. The four-time Grand Slam winner avoided competing in the major championships for a while and later surprised fans by announcing her pregnancy with her partner, rapper Cordae, in January 2023. Reflecting on her experience, after the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023, Osaka shared in an interview with InStyle, “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,”
Since her return to professional tennis in 2024, Osaka has yet to showcase her previous dominance on the court. Her best results have been reaching the quarterfinals at the Qatar Open and the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships in 2024. That aside, she has nothing much to show for. To support her in navigating the mental and physical challenges of her comeback, International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Connors, who faced a similar situation in his life, offered his insights and encouragement.
Speaking to his son Brett Connors in the ‘Advantage Connors’ podcast, Jimmy shared his views about Osaka. “She gotta three main problem right? Is that physically and mentally or whatever. If she wants to get her game in order, she gotta get her mental state. Doesn’t mind if she is away, I mean she has fought couple of battles going through, having her baby and I’m sure and all that,” he added.
Jimmy was then asked by Brett how his life changed after his birth. “I didn’t have you Brett. That’s the key. That was the key. It was your mummy who did all that. I went through a mentally with her and when I was there physically and then I would like to help her and all that. But the change for me was and have with you was the most important thing to me ever and the thing that changed for me was that I wanted to be with you and then I thought I was sliding tennis. And then when I was playing tennis and working with the tennis or training or whatever I was like I should be with my family,” Jimmy explained.
Continuing further, he added, “But Osaka and other mommy’s out there too that are trying to play there and all that, I am trying to talk for all of them. I mean they have gone through that whole process of having the baby and taking care of the baby and because of that now you are sliding the tennis that you can train this hard and you can’t work with your game. I mean there’s so many things that are into that to come back and trying to get back into the top and gain your game back in order and your mental health back in order.”
The break after the 2022 US Open was not the first time Osaka left tennis. Earlier in 2021 as well, she took a break after she faced a third-round loss at Flushing Meadows to 18-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez in 5-7,7-6 (7-2), 6-4. In an emotional press conference after that, she highlighted her struggles, saying “I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do. I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match. I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while.”
So, what’s next? Well, despite battling an injury, Japan’s top-ranked player is set to play at the Australian Open, with her opening match scheduled against France’s Caroline Garcia. While Osaka is excited about returning to a major, she recently dropped a bombshell on her Instagram account. What’s that?
“Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship” – Naomi Osaka breaks up with Cordae just ahead of the Australian Open
“That’s my girl!” these were the words of the American rapper Cordae that confirmed the relationship between him and Naomi Osaka when he gushed about her in a 2019 interview. Osaka was riding high that year, claiming back-to-back Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, and the US Open the previous year, while also finding the love of her life. Fast forward to July 2023, the couple celebrated the arrival of their daughter, Shai. But just as fans were gearing up to see Osaka return to the Australian Open, suddenly she dropped the shocking update of her split with Cordae.
Taking to her Instagram account this Monday, the Japanese wrote, “Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship.” She also emphasized that there was no animosity between them and described her ex as “a great person and an awesome dad.” That’s not all! Further reflecting on her relationship, she added, “Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together,” as she concluded her message with a red heart emoji.
The news not only shocked Osaka’s followers but also added another layer of emotional turmoil to her ongoing struggles. However, as life progresses, her moral strength and courage may stand out at the upcoming Australian Open, as she aims for her third AO title.
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