Osaka 'not far off' her best but often ponders future
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka says she is returning to her best form but would consider quitting the game if asked to by her three-year-old daughter.
Naomi Osaka's last Grand Slam title was at the Australian Open in February 2021. The 29-year-old Japanese tennis star claims she is not far off her previous best, but admits she has contemplated quitting the sport and often ponders her future. She won the US Open and Australian Open twice between 2018 and 2021, rising to the world number one ranking.
However, she took a break in 2021 to focus on her mental health and another 15 months after giving birth to her daughter in 2022. Osaka now says her three-year-old son, Shai, asking her to quit would be a convincing reason to retire. She prepares to play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, having withdrawn from the French Open. Osaka acknowledges that her mindset has evolved with age and the responsibilities of motherhood, prioritizing her daughter's happiness over her tennis career.
She remains proud of her accomplishments, ranking 19th in the world and serving as the seventh seed at the current tournament.
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