Naomi Osaka may quit tennis if daughter asks her to

Former world number one Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion from Japan, has cast doubt on her future in tennis, suggesting she may quit the sport if her three-year-old daughter asks her to. The 29-year-old, currently ranked 19 in the world, took a 15-month break after the birth of her daughter, Shai, before returning in 2023.

Osaka, who is in Tokyo for the Pan Pacific Open, said that becoming a mother has reshaped her priorities and that her entire day does not consist of the sport any more. She admitted that her mindset is changing with age and that her daughter is now her biggest priority. Osaka said she is figuring out how to balance her duties as a player and a mother.

She also extended support to American player Coco Gauff, who faced an "insane" amount of racist abuse on the internet at this month's China Open. Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father Haitian, said nobody should have to endure such abuse. She expressed that while she knows efforts by the WTA to combat social media abuse are ongoing, she personally chooses not to use social media much as she feels it's important to connect with her fans. Osaka is seeded seventh in Tokyo and will play against Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the first round.