"I usually feel like I’m alone" - Naomi Osaka makes her position clear on importance of discussing mental health

Naomi Osaka, the former World No. 1 and long-time advocate for mental health, was once again seen bolstering her belief in the importance of maintaining mental health. Her openness about mental health struggles has sparked several conversations and has broken many taboos around the topic in the past, encouraging many to prioritize their mental well-being.

In that context, Osaka took a shocking break from professional tennis in September 2021; earlier in the year, she had won her fourth Grand Slam title in Australia and was World No. 3 at the moment. She returned to the sport in January but took another extended break because of her pregnancy.

The four-time Grand Slam champion has been back on the tour since January 2024 but has struggled to regain her form due to discontinuity and injury concerns. She has shown a lot of promise from the beginning of this year until she was restricted by an abdominal injury.

The 27-year-old mother reached her first WTA tour final in Auckland coupled with a third-round appearance at the Australian Open. She crashed out on both occasions because of her abdominal strains.

In a recent interview with CNN, Osaka once again shed light on the importance of mental health and offered insights from her personal experience to educate people around the world. She said:

“I feel like it’s really important to speak about mental health, because at least for me, when I’m down, I usually feel like I’m alone and I’m the only person that feels in that specific way.”

“But then you realize that there’s other people that feel the same, and you don’t feel so isolated anymore. So I think it’s important for people to keep talking about it, treat it more like physical health. I think people treat physical health a lot better than mental health,” she added.

The frank reflections of the Japanese player regarding mental health highlight the vital importance of open discussion and awareness. Her story, filled with victories and setbacks, is a stark reminder that mental health is just as important as physical health. Her ability to be so raw and open has continued to motivate people to take care of their inner peace and seek help, with her message that no one has to deal with it alone.

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Naomi Osaka on how motherhood has helped her become more patient

Naomi Osaka speaking at the Ecotrans Ladies Open Berlin 2024 - Source: Getty

In July 2023, Naomi Osaka and her rapper boyfriend Cordae welcomed their baby daughter, later named ‘Shai.’ Osaka has embraced motherhood and returned to the sport with even more ambitions to achieve.

While talking to CNN, the currently ranked World No. 54 talked about how becoming a mother has helped her become patient, which has even contributed to her professional journey.

“Becoming a mom, I’ve learned to become a lot more patient and sort of understand that I can’t control everything, but I can only do my best in certain situations and hope that the outcome is positive, but if not, then there’s always another day,” Osaka remarked.

Osaka’s experience as a new mother has helped her inculcate patience and resilience. She proves that even after becoming a mother you can achieve your goals and inspire others to do the same.

She is set to mark her return on court in an exhibition match against the current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the MGM Rewards Slam in Las Vegas on March 1.