"Definitely looking forward to doing a lot of stuff but I am a tennis player" - Naomi Osaka confirms getting back to the court ahead of 2023 season

Naomi Osaka has been active off the court over the course of a disappointing 2022 season. Despite spreading her wings to explore several avenues, she reckons that she cannot stay away from the game for too long.

While promoting her new book, The Way Champs Play, Osaka stated that she was looking forward to "doing a lot of stuff" but added that he gets "an itch" when she doesn't play tennis for too long.

"I feel like I'm a very curious person. So, I'm grateful to have been given all these avenues to explore, so I am definitely looking forward to doing a lot of stuff but I am a tennis player, so if I don't play tennis for too long I get an itch," the 25-year-old said in an appearance on Good Morning America.

The Japanese star also spoke about her organization Play Academy, which helps community sports flourish by providing them with grants.

"Play Academy is basically an organization where we give grants to schools and other organizations around the world so that little girls and boys can play, do activities and after-school programs," she stated.

The children's picture book, Osaka's first, was published by Harper Collins and arranged by her own media production company Hana Kuma.

Naomi Osaka was last seen in action at the Japan Open, where she withdrew citing abdominal pain and will be hoping that better luck comes her way at the upcoming Australian Open.

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Naomi Osaka features on 2023 Australian Open entry list

Osaka goes down against Amanda Anisimova at the 2022 Australian Open

Naomi Osaka will be looking to get back to winning ways at the 2023 Australian Open, which begins in just over a month.

She is one of the many big names to feature on the entry list for the tournament. While the women's section is headed by Iga Swiatek, the men's section features the likes of World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Rafael Nadal at the top of the heap.

Nine-time champion Novak Djokovic, who missed last year's competition on account of his vaccination status, will return to Melbourne Park even as Simona Halep, who beat Caroline Wozniacki in the 2018 final, does not find a place on the list.

Naomi Osaka, a two-time winner at the Melbourne Grand Slam, suffered a third-round loss to Amanda Anisimova in the 2022 edition of the tournament.

The former World No. 1 defeated Petra Kvitova to reign supreme at the Australian Open in 2019. A third-round loss to Coco Gauff meant that she failed to defend her title in 2020.

Last year, the 25-year-old beat Serena Williams in the semifinals at the Rod Laver Arena before getting past Jennifer Brady in the title clash to win her fourth Grand Slam crown.

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