Naomi Osaka: ‘Becoming a mother forced me to see life and tennis in a different way’

Naomi Osaka is a worrier. There are times, she says, when she cannot stop her mind from working itself into overdrive as it fixates on her future. One of her concerns in recent years has been what lies ahead after tennis; she is not sure if she is good at many things beyond the brutal treatment she can inflict on a ball.

Considering the common theme of much of the conversation so far had been Osaka's growth and maturity, this disclosure naturally prompts a question about how she has managed to move past her tendency to overthink her future plans. She responds, laughing, without hesitation: "Who said I'm past that?"

Last July, Osaka, the first Asian world No 1 in singles, a four‑time grand slam champion and one of the greatest players of her generation, gave birth to her first child, Shai. She returned to action in January, having spent more than 15 months away from the sport. Her pregnancy had come at a difficult time; after her initial incredible success and subsequent struggles with form and mental health she was unsure of her next step. Becoming a mother and having the time to truly reassess during the enforced time away has been energising.

"It forced me to see life in a different way," she says. "I know a lot of people probably think I retired in that year but it just made me a lot more grateful for the sport and, in turn, made me just know there's so many possibilities outside tennis and I realised I would still love to play tennis."

Having seen Osaka from some of her earliest days on the tour, there has been a clear change in her demeanour since her return. She seems a little more confident, more at ease with herself. Osaka agrees. The 26‑year‑old describes herself as more mellow and mature, even insisting that she is trying to be more social with other players, no longer navigating the locker room with her head down and headphones attached permanently to her ears.

"I'm trying my best, trying to make friends," she says. "I was walking around the city the other day and I find [observing people] so interesting. Everyone has their own stuff going on. Before, I was in a bubble, I didn't even really notice or take the time to see what everyone else is doing."

Alongside the countless positive things her pregnancy has yielded, Osaka says it was extremely tough. After more than a decade of living the nomadic existence of a tennis player, coming to terms with being at home in one place for so long was challenging. Her pregnancy also had difficulties, from heavy morning sickness to Shai being born with a nuchal cord - the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck.