Naomi Osaka made her comeback at the Australian Open last week after welcoming her daughter Shai into the world in July with her boyfriend, Cordae. Although she lost her second match against Karolina Pilskova, the athlete is still as proud as ever, as she chases her dreams while also being a mom.
© GettyImagesOn Wednesday, the 26-year-old tennis professional shared a reel that featured her daughter as she used her platform to advocate for the passing of the Family and Medical Leave Act for new parents, who do not have paid leave. “84% of Americans support paid leave, and yet 73% of parents don’t have it,” she wrote in the caption.
The video gave a look into what she’s been up to behind the scenes, preparing to get back on the court while juggling being a new mom. “Being a parent is hard. As a professional athlete I am no stranger to hard work or early mornings, but the last 6 months as a new mom has given me a whole new appreciation and understanding of what parents do every single day,” Osaka wrote.
She went on to describe the belief that “parents, moms in particular, are historically told that babies will be a barrier to personal goals - that they will stop you from achieving your dreams.”
For Osaka, she discovered that Shai is her “ultimate motivator.” “She makes me want to achieve greatness. I’m proud of myself for continuing to chase my dreams while also being a mom. And I recognize that I’m fortunate to have the support to return to work this month on my own terms, in my own time,” she continued.
Osaka took more than a year off for mental health and her pregnancy. After losing to Pliskova in Brisbane, she stayed motivated. “Even though it’s super disappointing today, I know that if I keep training and if I keep putting in the work, then I’ll eventually get to where I want to be,” Osaka said.
She went on to call it a “personal win” candidly sharing that she was experiencing doubts a couple of weeks before the prestigious Grand Slam tournament. “Even stepping on the court is a personal win, because a couple of weeks ago I was even doubting if I could play with everyone,” she said. “So I guess these two matches that I’ve had kind of prove to me that I am doing okay, and the year is just going to get better for me.”
