Naomi Osaka: "The first thing I did after I changed Shai's diaper was text my mom, 'Hey, mom, thanks for everything that you did'"
Naomi Osaka is all set to commence her comeback on the WTA Tour, beginning her campaign at the 2024 Brisbane International against Tamara Korpatsch on Sunday.
Speaking at her press conference ahead of the contest, the Japanese, who spent all of 2023 on the sidelines due to a maternity break, opened up about how becoming a mother has changed her.
Referring to a recent social media update she posted thanking the people who have helped her along the way in her life, Osaka admitted that it was because of the growing experience motherhood had given her. She and her boyfriend Cordae welcomed their firstborn, a daughter named Shai, to the world in July.
For instance, the four-time Grand Slam champion stated that when she has to change Shai's diaper, she sometimes starts thinking about how her mother did the same for her when she was a child. This leads her to think that she has to be a lot nicer to her own mother, opening her eyes to the fact that everyone had similar developmental journeys along the way.
Osaka further added that the first thing she did after changing her daughter's diaper was text her mom saying thanks for everything she did for her.
"Yeah, I think definitely. Sometimes when I'm changing Shai's diaper, I think, Wow, my mom did this to me? Then I feel bad. I'm like, Wow, I should treat my mom a lot nicer. Yeah, it's definitely a very new feeling, and it opened my eyes to a lot of new things," Naomi Osaka said.
"It kind of just made me realize, like, everyone was a baby and everyone kind of absorbed energy, and we all learned different things, we all kind of appreciate people in the same way. Yeah, the first thing I did after I changed Shai's diaper was text my mom, 'Hey, mom, thanks for everything that you did,'" the 2019 and 2021 Australian Open winner added.
Naomi Osaka: "The competition part is something that I've definitely missed the last year"
Naomi Osaka also admitted during the press conference that she missed the competition last year, recalling how she was sad when she had to miss the Australian Open for the first time since she made an appearance at the event.
Having been a really competitive person all her life, the former World No. 1 had to deal with the fact that she had to miss the sport for a while, something she hopes to make amends for soon now that she is back on the tour again.
"I think just the competition part. I remember when Australian Open first started, that was the first time that I missed the AO, just feeling really sad, just wanting to get back out there."
"Even if I lost, I would just want the opportunity to play a match. I've always been a really competitive person. The competition part is something that I've definitely missed the last year," Naomi Osaka said.