Naomi Osaka gets brutally honest about her postpartum struggles 

Naomi Osaka opened up about her postpartum struggles after becoming a mother, revealing the challenges she faced during this time. She admitted that even basic activities like running were incredibly difficult, let alone returning to her professional career.

Osaka welcomed her daughter, Shai, with her ex-boyfriend, rapper Cordae, in July 2023 and returned to tennis in 2024. While she couldn’t secure any titles last year, she has started 2025 on a bittersweet note.

The Japanese made an impressive start to the year by reaching the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland. Her momentum was cut short as she had to retire mid-match due to injury despite leading 6-4. Now, she’s preparing to begin her Australian Open campaign.

Ahead of that, Naomi Osaka spoke to the media and opened up about her struggles Shai's birth, saying:

“Yeah, I mean, after giving birth, it was definitely really tough to even run. I do understand why people think -- well, I do understand why it's very difficult to, I guess, get to a professional level, especially after postpartum.”

A few days ago, the four-time Grand Slam champion revealed that she had parted ways with Cordae. However, she expressed gratitude for his presence in her life, as it brought her the "biggest blessing"—Shai, who will turn two this year.

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Naomi Osaka to kick off Australian Open campaign against familiar foe Caroline Garcia

Naomi Osaka pictured at the 2025 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty

Naomi Osaka is set to face her old rival, Caroline Garcia, once again to kick off her campaign at the Australian Open. The two have met four times on the WTA Tour so far, with three of those encounters taking place just last year. The head-to-head stands level at 2-2.

In the same press conference, Osaka reflected on her relationship with Garcia, saying it has definitely grown over time. She also joked about the fun coincidence that they were both born on October 16.

“I would say my relationship with her, it's definitely grown a lot. I can't say, like, we're BFFs. I really respect her a lot. I feel the same energy coming from her,” Osaka said.

“I also like the fact that we were born on the same day, so we have the same birthdays. I can't ever have bad blood with a fellow Libra,” she added.

From there, it only gets tougher for the Japanese, as she could face the likes of Karolina Muchova, Jelena Ostapenko, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek before she could get her hands on her third trophy in Melbourne.