Naomi Osaka, the renowned tennis player, displayed a mix of emotions after securing her first victory at the U.S. Open. The 26-year-old athlete triumphed over Jelena Ostapenko with a score of 6-3, 6-2 on August 27, propelling her to the second round of the tournament. Following her win, Osaka, visibly moved, wiped away the sweat and tears from her face with a towel.
In a post-game interview, Osaka revealed her inner turmoil, expressing, 'I was trying not to cry when I was walking out. Last year I was watching Coco [Gauff] play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again. I didn’t know if I could … just to play this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me.'
The four-time Grand Slam champion shared that her return to the U.S. Open this year has been a poignant journey. She acknowledged the overwhelming support from the crowd, emphasizing the significance of the moment. Osaka did not participate in the previous year's tournament due to maternity leave after welcoming her daughter, Shai, with boyfriend Cordae in July 2023.
'I grew up here, so just seeing kids, and then remembering my daughter, but seeing kids coming and watching me play and just remembering that I was a kid … [it] made me very emotional,' Osaka expressed. 'Just seeing the stadium really full, it meant a lot, because I was, like, ‘Oh, I hope people come watch me play.’'
Two months post-childbirth, Osaka announced her intention to resume her tennis career the following year. Reflecting on her hiatus, she shared, 'I definitely only know this world, the tennis world, and just being away from that for a long time, it was new for me.'
Months later, Osaka opened up about the challenges she faced during her pregnancy, including testing positive for Group B streptococcus and enduring a labor lasting over 12 hours. She highlighted the difficulties of pregnancy, stating, 'I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is. No one really talks about it as much.'
