Former world primary Naomi Osaka introduced in a single day that she is pregnant and will likely be taking a break from tennis till 2024.
“I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch my matches and tell someone, ‘That’s my mom’ haha,” she wrote on Twitter, accompanied by an ultrasound image of a being pregnant scan.
“2023 will be a year full of lessons for me, and I hope I’ll see you guys at the start of the next one cause I will be back at the Australian Open 2024. Love you all infinitely,” she added.
The 25-year-old Osaka has not performed a tennis match since September and her withdrawal from the Australian Open, which begins subsequent week, had puzzled many observers.
Her social media posts in latest months had proven her travelling in Europe together with her boyfriend, American rapper Cordae.
The two have been collectively since 2019.
Osaka had not defined her absence till Thursday, when she posted what she known as “a little life update for 2023.”
Osaka’s final event look was on the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September, the place the house favorite withdrew earlier than her second-round match, complaining of stomach ache.
The high ranked participant on the planet in 2019, the Japanese star — who grew up within the United States — is now ranked forty seventh on the planet.
Osaka has gained 4 Grand Slam singles titles with triumphs within the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020.
She had been open about her struggles with psychological well being and despair up to now and took a break from the game after the French Open in 2021 earlier than returning to compete on the Tokyo Olympics later that 12 months.
With a string of profitable endorsement offers throughout the globe, together with with a number of high Japanese manufacturers, she was named the world’s top-earning feminine athlete for 2022 by Forbes, with reported earnings of $51.1 million.
Her industrial success was not mirrored on the courtroom final 12 months nevertheless as she suffered first-round defeats at each the French and US Opens and withdrew from Wimbledon with an Achilles damage.
Osaka has additionally been vocal in assist of assorted causes and in 2020 she mentioned she wouldn’t play in her semi-final on the Cincinnati Open in response to the capturing of black man Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. Following her assertion the event paused for a day.
Osaka’s latest absence from the tour had promoted hypothesis over her future within the recreation, however on Thursday she mentioned her break has given her a brand new perspective on the game.
“These few months away from the sport have really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to,” she wrote.
“I realize that life is so short, and I don’t take any moments for granted; every day is a new blessing and adventure.” In latest years it has develop into more and more widespread for ladies gamers to renew their careers after giving start.
Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Kim Clijsters all returned to the courtroom to proceed competing after changing into moms.
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Originally printed as Australian Open news: Naomi Osaka declares being pregnant and guarantees return in 2024
