"Felt like Shai was watching me, I wanted to do my best for her" - Naomi Osaka on 1R win at Brisbane International 2024

Naomi Osaka recently stated that she wanted to do her 'best for her daughter, Shai, following her first-round win at the 2024 Brisbane International.

Osaka gave birth to her daughter, Shai last July. She had to pull out of the 2023 Australian Open due to her pregnancy, which she had publicly announced in January.

This year, the four-time Grand Slam champion made a triumphant comeback to the court in Brisbane. In her first-round match, she faced off against Germany's Tamara Korpatsch, defeating her 6-3, 7-6 (9) in one hour and 48 minutes.

Osaka delivered 36 winners while committing only 21 unforced errors. Meanwhile, Korpatsch managed to muster only 13 winners against her defense.

During her post-match press conference, Naomi Osaka was asked about playing in her first tournament on the WTA Tour after becoming a mother. Osaka said that the experience was unique and she felt Shai watching her, which motivated her to give her best on the court.

"I wouldn't really say it feels differently. Well, that's a lie. I felt, I don't know, like a part of me felt like Shai was watching me. I wanted to do my best for her," Naomi Osaka said.

The former World No. 1 stated that she was much more aware of the children present at the stadium while signing autographs. She attributed this newfound sensitivity to her new role as a mother.

"Also I guess like towards the end when I was signing autographs, I was more aware of kids. It made me, like, feel... I don't know. I see them differently now because now I'm a mom, too and I can picture Shai being that age," she added.

The Japanese also said that she wants to be a good role model for her daughter.

"Yeah, I think while I'm playing, I'm aware of it in the sense that I want to be a good role model for my daughter. Other than that, I think I'm pretty much trying to be the same old me," she added.

Naomi Osaka: "I played at a pretty good level"

Naomi Osaka at the 2024 Brisbane International tennis tournament

During the on-court post-match interview, Naomi Osaka expressed her pride in her performance. She revealed that once she managed to overcome her persistent nervousness, she was able to play freely.

"Looking back on the match now, honestly I'm very proud of myself," Osaka said. "I feel like I played at a pretty good level. I think my opponent played really well, as well," Naomi Osaka said.

Osaka also expressed her happiness on successfully navigating a challenging match and said she would use the experience as a foundation for future matches.

"Honestly, all I can think of is, like, the consistent nerves that I had. So just getting through that really tough match and hopefully building on it. I think my next match will be a really good test on that," she added.

Naomi Osaka will next face Karolina Pliskova in the second round of the Brisbane International.