Naomi Osaka is pregnant — and states she could be returning to the tennis court docket next yr.
Osaka shared the news, together with a picture of a sonogram, and messages, in both equally Japanese and English, on social media Wednesday afternoon.
“I know that I have so a great deal to glance forward to in the long run, one particular issue I am on the lookout forward to is for my child to view just one of my matches and convey to a person, ‘that’s my mom,’ haha,” Osaka wrote.
The 25-year-outdated tennis star rose to prominence right after defeating Serena Williams, just one of the most influential gamers on the court, in the U.S. Open Ultimate in 2018. Osaka’s subsequent victories in the Australian Open up in 2019, the U.S. Open up in 2020 and the Australian Open in 2021 immediately cemented her as one particular of just a number of gamers to ever acquire their to start with 4 Grand Slam tournaments.
But the best-paid female athlete in the world publicly opened up about her struggles with mental health and fitness soon after pulling out of the 2021 French Open. After asserting she would not choose section in demanded media appearances, officers fined her $15,000 — and threatened to expel her from the tournament. 
And immediately after losing in the 2021 U.S. Open, Osaka announced that she would just take an indefinite hiatus from tennis. Numerous athletes publicly praised Osaka for brazenly sharing her struggles with mental well being.
“I truthfully never know when I’m going to perform my subsequent tennis match,” Osaka told reporters in a information conference. “I assume I am gonna consider a break from playing for a although.”
The announcement on Wednesday also will come days following Osaka said she would not be showing up in the 2023 Australian open up. On the other hand, in the social media publish, Osaka confirmed that she is envisioned to compete in the Australian Open up in 2024. It’ll be Osaka’s to start with look on the court docket because competing at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last September, when she withdrew owing to health issues.
Osaka also mirrored on the time she’s taken off from the activity. In Could, Osaka declared that she would be launching her personal sports agency. Osaka also wrote a children’s guide that was produced last thirty day period.
“The past several a long time have been attention-grabbing to say the minimum, but I find that its the most demanding situations in everyday living that may possibly be the most enjoyable,” Osaka wrote Wednesday, incorporating that the months-very long hiatus led to “a new like and appreciation for the game I have dedicated my lifetime to.”
Osaka has been in a partnership with Grammy-nominated rapper Cordae because 2019. The two reflected on their decades-very long connection, including meeting for the initial time at an LA Clippers video game, in a 2021 unfold for GQ. 
“I sense like he truly actually aided me win just, like, preserving up the commitment,” Osaka told the journal, while reflecting on the assist he gave her though she quarantined for the U.S. Open in 2020.
On Wednesday, Osaka concluded her be aware expressing: “I you should not assume there is a perfectly proper route to just take in life but I usually felt that if you go ahead with excellent intentions you can expect to obtain your way sooner or later.” 
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