Naomi Osaka says she’ll return to tennis after having her first child

Naomi Osaka has vowed to return to the tennis tour after the birth of her first child.

The four-time Grand Slam winner announced in January that she was pregnant and will therefore miss the 2023 season.

In her social media post, she said she would be back for the Australian Open in 2024 and now she has reaffirmed her intention to make a comeback.

“I definitely plan to come back… it’s a bit of a break but I still feel very competitive” she said WBS in Japan on Tuesday.

Osaka won her first Grand Slam at the US Open in 2018, before winning the showpiece Down Under a year later.

Naomi Osaka, pictured on the left last week, has vowed to return to the tennis tour after giving birth to her first child. She wants to win more Grand Slams and her last will come in 2021 (right)

The four-time Grand Slam winner announced in January via a message on social media that she is pregnant

Osaka’s post on her Instagram page explained that she would miss the 2023 season

In 2020 she returned to Flushing Meadows to triumph again, winning her fourth Grand Slam in Melbourne two years ago.

Upon returning, the 25-year-old stated in the interview in her native country: “I really want to win more slams.”

Osaka pulled out of the Australian Open this year without an official reason, but revealed days later that she is expecting her first child with the rapper Cordae.

“Can’t wait to get back on the pitch but here’s a little life update for 2023,” Osaka’s caption read on Jan. 11.

The former world number 1, who has lived most of her life in the United States but represents Japan, has been in a relationship with Grammy-nominated American rapper Cordae since 2019.

“I know I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I look forward to is my kid watching one of my games and saying to someone, ‘that’s my mom.’

“The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I think the most challenging times in life are perhaps the most fun.

“These few months away from the sport have really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I have devoted my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moment for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure.

Osaka struggled with bouts of depression after beating Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open

“2023 will be a year full of lessons for me and I hope to see you at the start of the next one because I will be on Aus 2024.”

Osaka took a highly publicized hiatus from the sport after pulling out of the French Open in May 2021, citing concerns about her mental health and overall well-being.

She was fined $15,000 for failing to fulfill her media duties at Roland Garros, but she revealed she had “long-term depression” after beating Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open.