Naomi Osaka reveals daughter Shai's valuable possession she almost lost in LA wildfires

Naomi Osaka shared that she came close to losing an important official document belonging to her daughter, Shai, during the Los Angeles wildfires. Osaka is competing in the 2025 Australian Open, aiming to secure her third title at the tournament, adding to her two previous Grand Slam victories there in 2019 and 2021.

During a post-match interview on Monday, January 13, after defeating Caroline Garcia 6-3, 3-6,6-3 Osaka was asked if she had any messages for her loved ones and community members in Los Angeles, who were facing the challenges of devastating wildfires. As a longtime resident of LA, she was invited to share her thoughts on the situation.

She spoke with pain in her voice, explaining that she had been closely watching the fire maps while arranging for someone to retrieve her daughter Shai’s birth certificate from home.

"I was watching the fire map, and the fire is three blocks from my house. I had someone go get my daughter's birth certificate," she said.

The Japanese also expressed her support for the people of Los Angeles.

"I just hope everyone’s doing well, and I’m sending all my love to L.A.," she added.

In January 2025, the Greater Los Angeles area faced a rare and devastating wildfire outbreak, with at least ten major fires breaking out since January 7. The blazes were fueled by severe drought conditions, low humidity, and powerful Santa Ana winds reaching hurricane-level strength.

The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena have caused the most devastation. According to Cal Fire, they rank as the second and fourth most destructive fires in California's history, respectively. Together, these fires have scorched over 35,000 acres, forced more than 180,000 residents to evacuate, and placed an additional 200,000 people under evacuation warnings.

Naomi Osaka to face Karolina Muchova in Australian Open 2R

2025 Australian Open - Day 2 - Source: Getty

Naomi Osaka is set to take on Karolina Muchova in the second round of the Australian Open 2025. The match will be held on Wednesday, January 15. This year's tournament runs from January 12 to January 26.

While Osaka beat Caroline Garcia, Muchova played her opening match against Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska, cruising to a dominant win with a commanding 6-1, 6-1.

The Japanese and the Czech have faced each other three times in the past, with Muchova holding a 2-1 head-to-head lead.

She defeated Osaka at the 2021 Madrid Open and again at the 2024 US Open. On the other hand, Osaka secured her sole victory at the 2020 Cincinnati Open.

In the 2022 Miami Open, the two didn’t get to compete, as Muchova had to withdraw from the tournament due to a left abdominal injury, giving Osaka a walkover.