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Women in Sports

Naomi Osaka on motherhood and tennis comeback: 'A love letter for moms'


Osaka is doing amazing at the US Open


Osaka is headed towards the US Open's quarterfinals© Getty Images
Maria LoretoSenior Writer
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 3:38 PM EDT

Naomi Osaka is going through a great moment in her tennis. The 27-year-old Japanese-American player is currently playing on the US Open, where she's climbed towards the quarterfinals and has taken out key players, including Coco Gauff

Cordae and Osaka welcomed their first child together on 2023© AFP via Getty Images
Cordae and Osaka welcomed their first child together on 2023

In a new documentary, Osaka is opening up about her daughter Shai, which she shares with her ex-boyfriend, the singer Cordae. In a new documentary airing on Tubi, called "Naomi Osaka: The Second Set," Osaka opened up about raising her daughter and what it means for her to return to tennis and its high pressures.

"I have multiple identities. My return to the sport is a love letter for moms," said Osaka in the movie's trailer. "Some people say she ended my career, but for me, it feels like she started my career."

In other parts of the trailer, Osaka shares her thoughts about her life, revealing that she's long had many dreams, with tennis being one of them. "Having a family for me, that was my biggest dream. I always wanted to be a mom," she said. 

Osaka is headed towards the US Open's quarterfinals© Getty Images
Osaka is headed towards the US Open's quarterfinals

Osaka's decision to welcome a child

Osaka shared her pregnancy news with the world in 2023, in an Instagram post that has since been deleted. 

In her post, Osaka revealed that the time she spent away from tennis was one of the reasons why she decided she wanted to pursue motherhood. "I realize that life is so short and I don't take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure," she wrote, as reported by PEOPLE.

Osaka and her ex Cordae were together for six years© Allen Berezovsky
Osaka and her ex Cordae were together for six years

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom,' haha." 

Before her appearance at the US Open, Osaka revealed that Shai would be watching her in the stands, marking her first time watching one of her mom's games. "It would be her first time at a tennis match, so I don't know how loud she's going to be," said Osaka on the Today Show. 

Naomi Osaka of Japan holds up her Labubu while talking to the media after defeating Greet Minnen of Belgium in the first round on Day 3 of the US Open© Robert Prange
Osaka has been showing off her Labubu collection at the US Open

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