Naomi Osaka Opens Up About Struggle to Regain Form in Tennis After Maternity Break

Naomi Osaka, the 26-year-old Japanese tennis star, has revealed her frustration and disappointment at struggling to get back to her previous level of performance since taking a maternity break.

Osaka, a former world number one and four-time Grand Slam winner, returned to the WTA Tour in January following the birth of her first child, a daughter. However, she has not been able to win a match that has gone beyond the quarter-finals, and on Monday, she was beaten in the second round of qualifying for the Cincinnati Open in Ohio, USA.

In a candid post on social media, Osaka explained that her biggest challenge is not the losses themselves, but the feeling of not being fully in her body. She described a strange sensation of missing shots she normally wouldn’t miss and hitting balls softer than she used to. Osaka tried to reassure herself that this was just a temporary phase, but admitted that it was mentally draining.

The former champion compared her current situation to being post-partum, saying it was the only feeling she could liken it to. This realization has left her scared, as she has been playing tennis since she was three years old and is used to the racket feeling like an extension of her hand.

Despite her struggles, Osaka remains committed to her career and will still compete in the US Open, which begins on August 26. She has won the tournament twice, in 2018 and 2020.

The Additional sources AP have contributed to this report.

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