Former world number one Naomi Osaka announced on Wednesday that she is pregnant and will take a break from tennis until 2024. “I know I have a lot to look forward to in the future, something that I don’t know. I’m expecting my baby to watch my games and say to someone, ‘It’s my mom’ haha,” she wrote on Twitter, accompanied by a picture of the pregnancy ultrasound.
“The year 2023 will be a year full of lessons for me, and I hope to see you at the start of next season as I will be back at the 2024 Australian Open. Love you all so much,” she said. said more.
Can’t wait to get back on the field but here’s a little life update for 2023. pic.twitter.com/GYXRnutU3I
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 11, 2023
25-year-old Osaka hasn’t played a single tennis match since September and her withdrawal from the Australian Open, which starts next week, has many observers confused. Osaka did not explain her absence until Wednesday.
Her last tournament appearance was at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September, where the home team’s favorite withdrew before her second-round match, complaining of a stomachache. The highest ranked player in the world in 2019, the Japanese player who grew up in the US is currently ranked 47th in the world.
Osaka has won four Grand Slam singles titles with the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021 and the US Open in 2018 and 2020. She was named by Forbes as the world’s highest-paid female athlete in 2022. , with reported earnings of $51.1 million.
However, her commercial success was not reflected on the court last year when she suffered first round defeats at both the French and US Opens and withdrew from Wimbledon due to an Achilles injury.
“The few months away from sport have really brought me a new love and appreciation for the sport I’ve dedicated my life to. I realized that life is too short and that I don’t. value any moment; every day is a new blessing and adventure,” she wrote in her statement on Wednesday.
Featured video of the day
Sourav Ganguly set to rejoin Delhi Capital as Cricket Director: Report
Topics covered in this article
