"Having a kid shouldn't feel like a punishment" - Naomi Osaka backs Victoria Azarenka; advocates for paid maternity leave

Naomi Osaka recently echoed Victoria Azarenka over her call for a paid maternity leave. In a recently released statement, the four-time Grand Slam champion said that such a move would be “life-changing” for the women’s tennis players.

After a 15-month maternity break, Osaka, who gave birth to daughter Shai in July 2023, made her competitive return at the 2024 Brisbane International as a wild card. The World No. 287, unranked at the time, bowed out of the event in the second round.

During her campaign in Brisbane, Naomi Osaka was asked to share her take on a potential paid maternity leave for female tennis players.

"I think it would definitely be life-changing and I feel like having a kid shouldn't feel like a punishment," she said, as per BBC Sport’s recently released interview with her.

Naomi Osaka has since competed in four other tournaments, where she notched up four victories in total. The former World No. 1 entered three of those events – the Australian Open, and the WTA 1000 tournaments in Doha and Indian Wells, using her protected ranking.

It is worth noting that in 2019, the WTA rolled out an updated rule allowing returning mothers to exercise their protected ranking to enter 12 tournaments over a period of three years.

Taking into consideration the changes made, former World No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka, who gave birth to her son Leo in 2016, said that there is scope for further assistance on the matter.

"There's a lot more that has to change and I hope that we are on the right track to do it," Azarenka said, as per BBC Sport.

"I think the important part is to change the financial part of maternity leave. I think that would be a huge win for women in general, so I hope we find the resources to be able to do that. I think that would be incredible," she added.

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Naomi Osaka on mothers returning to the WTA tour: "Giving more options is something that is very necessary"

Naomi Osaka recently crashed out of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a third-round defeat.

Backing Victoria Azarenka’s statement, Naomi Osaka said that an additional financial protection would work wonders for the mothers planning to make a competitive return.

"For most female athletes, I think there's a discussion that your career's going to change dramatically or going to finish because you have a kid, so just appreciating them more and giving more options is something that is very necessary," she said in the aforementioned interview.

Alongside Naomi Osaka, several other players have staged a comeback after giving birth in recent months. Among them is former world No. 1s Caroline Wozniacki, who initially retired from tennis in 2020. She marked her return last year, after giving birth to daughter Olivia (born in 2021) and son James (born in 2022).

Meanwhile, yet another former World No. 1, Angelique Kerber, staged her comeback earlier this year, after giving birth to daughter Liana in February 2023. Elina Svitolina, who welcomed daughter Skai with fellow tennis player Gael Monfils in 2022, too scripted a successful return in 2023, for which she was honored with the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award.