Four-time Grand Slam winner, Naomi Osaka, has admitted that combining elite tennis with motherhood has proven to be a challenging experience as she continues her return to the tour.
Osaka made the comments after a difficult start to her 2026 season, which included an early exit at the Miami Open.
Since coming back to competitive tennis following the birth of her daughter, Shai, in 2023, Osaka told People that she has been navigating the demands of top-level sport alongside her desire to spend meaningful time with her child.
“It’s not like I’m setting out in my day to balance them, it just happens,” she says.
“And for me, I feel like everything has its place in my life. And honestly, I have a really amazing support system, so yeah, I would say they help me balance it really well.
“Honestly, I probably did have or did feel a lot of pressure my first year back playing tennis, just because I wanted to do well and be amazing at everything. But then I realized it’s okay to ask for help.
“I’m the type of person that has a lot of pride, and I don’t like inconveniencing people, so I tend to hold off until the last second, but I realize that most people want to help. And when you ask for help, it’s not an inconvenience. It took a long time for me to realize that in my life.”
