Naomi Osaka, the global tennis star, is facing one of the biggest challenges of her life: balancing motherhood with her return to the courts. Since welcoming her daughter Shai in July 2023, the four-time Grand Slam champion has been on an emotional and physical rollercoaster, trying to reconcile the pressures of high-level sport with the demands of family life.
In exclusive statements to PEOPLE, in partnership with OLLY, Naomi opened up about the stress and difficulties that mothers face, revealing a more human and vulnerable side of the champion. Now 25 years old, the former world number one shares that, despite the adversities, she has found comfort in the understanding that “everything has its place” in her life and that “there’s no problem in asking for help.”
“It’s not like I set out to balance everything in my day, it just happens,” Osaka confessed. “I feel like everything has its place in my life and, honestly, I have an amazing support system. So I would say they help me a lot to balance everything.”
The return to tennis after the birth of her daughter brought enormous pressure for Osaka, who wanted to be perfect in every role she plays. “I probably felt a lot of pressure in my first year back playing tennis because I wanted to be excellent at everything,” she explained. “But then I realized that it’s okay to ask for help.”
The Japanese tennis player acknowledges that, being a proud person who doesn’t like to bother others, she took a long time to accept that asking for support is not a burden for anyone. “Usually, I wait until the last second to ask for help, but I understood that most people want to help, and when you ask for help, you’re not being a nuisance,” she added.
A delicate chapter in Naomi’s life is her separation from rapper Cordae, the father of little Shai. Despite the end of their relationship, both maintain an exemplary stance in terms of co-parenting, demonstrating that the utmost priority is their daughter’s happiness and well-being. “She ensures that our daughter is the priority. That’s the kind of person she is,” Osaka stated, emotionally. “Shai is the light in the lives of so many people she interacts with.”
Naomi Osaka does not hide the pride and joy she feels in motherhood: “I might be saying this because I’m a mother and I’m biased, but I feel that she is an incredible joy and it’s not difficult at all to put her first.”
This sincere and powerful testimony from Naomi Osaka not only reveals the strength and resilience of the champion but also humanizes the difficult journey of thousands of mothers trying to balance career, personal life, and family in a world that demands constant perfection. Her message is clear: we should not be afraid to ask for help and accept that life is made up of priorities that adjust over time.
With this new phase of her life, Naomi Osaka continues to inspire millions, proving that true triumph lies in finding balance and happiness, both on and off the court.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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