Naomi Osaka is quite a lot of issues. She’s a girl. She’s a mother. She’s nice at her job. She’s Black. She’s Asian. And while you’re greater than what easy individuals can comprehend, they often don’t know deal with you. Right here’s to tennis studying from their errors with regards to Osaka — however we shouldn’t maintain our breath.
Earlier this week, Osaka gained her first aggressive match because the Fall of 2022, 6-3, 7-6 (9), over Tamara Korpatsch on the Brisbane Worldwide. Osaka hasn’t been round a lot. Coming into the week she’d solely performed one aggressive match because the 2022 U.S. Open.
“It’s a big change overnight,” Osaka said about returning to the sport as a mother. “For me, I love it a lot because, in a way, I would say (Shai, her daughter), has helped me grow up so much so quickly.
“Off the court, I’m more aware of people and I appreciate them a lot more — even my opponents and everything,” she added. “On the court, it’s just helping me be strong and staying in the moment more.”
In case you forgot, ever since she got here on the scene, tennis has gone out of its way to let Osaka know they don’t want her around.
She’s been heckled, which is unnecessary given how nice she is at tennis, on high of the truth that tennis is meant to be a “sophisticated” sport with decorum.
Different greats throughout the sport have taken photographs at her, like when Novak Djokovic did it because Osaka wanted to pay a fine somewhat than do press conferences after matches. And sure “media members” haven’t had any tact when asking questions.
“You are not crazy about dealing with us, especially in this format, yet you have a lot of outside interests that are served by having a media platform,” Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer asked in 2021. “When you say I’m ‘not crazy about dealing with you guys,’ Osaka responded, “what does that refer to?” Osaka was pointing to how Daugherty had began a query with “You are not crazy” when addressing somebody who’d turn into one of many faces of psychological well being in sports activities on the time. This is identical girl whose introduction to one of many greatest levels within the sport was met with boos, as individuals had been mad when she defeated Serena Williams within the 2018 U.S. Open.
“I just want to tell you guys, she played well and this is her first Grand Slam,” Williams tearfully said that day. “Let’s make this the best moment we can.”
It’s no shock that Osaka stepped away from the game in 2021 for her personal psychological well being, and took her time together with her being pregnant and returning to tennis as a mom.
As Osaka transitions again to being a full-time participant on the circuit — if that’s what she in the end decides to do — she can be again taking part in a sport that’s nonetheless led by a Black girl, as Coco Gauff is the brand new “it” lady. The $22.7 million that Gauff made in 2023 signifies that she was the highest-paid female athlete.
Osaka’s run in Australia ended when she misplaced within the second spherical, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, to Karolina Pliskova. “The week is definitely shorter than I wanted it to be,” she said. “I feel like I’m pretty good where I am right now. Even the last time I played her, I think I played better today.” She went on to say that she seen the event as a “personal win” as a result of she was “doubting if I could play with everyone,” simply weeks prior.
“I’ve trained so hard since giving birth, I need to enjoy these moments,” she explained. “I do feel different. I mean, of course I feel sad, but the sadness is me being like, ‘Aww, I wish I could have done better, because I know I’m spending so much time away from her (Shai), so I want it to be worth it somehow.” Motherhood has modified Naomi Osaka. I simply hope tennis has modified sufficient to cease hating on her.
