Naomi Osaka makes ‘scary’ confession about ‘postpartum feeling’ after qualifying loss

Naomi Osaka revealed in a candid letter she posted on social media that she is currently going through a phase where she is struggling with an inner battle and “feels like I just gave birth”. She admits that this is “terrifying” for her.

Since giving birth last summer and returning to tennis after 16 months at the start of the 2024 season, Osaka has managed to return to the top 100 and also achieve some notable victories. However, she has struggled with consistency and has come a long way from her desire to be a top player again and compete for titles on the biggest stage.

And the start of this week has not been good for Osaka either, who failed to advance past the qualifying round in Cincinnati in what was her first qualifying event since 2018. On Monday, the Japanese former world No. 1 was surprised in the final round of the Cincinnati qualifying round by 65th-ranked Ashlyn Krueger, who claimed a 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory.

A day later, the 26-year-old wrote an in-depth reflection and shared it with his fans.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel for a few hours now. In a weird way, I’ve started appreciating losing. You don’t play tennis for 20+ years without getting your fair share. You learn from a loss and then wait anxiously for your next chance to put what you’ve learned into practice,” Osaka wrote in a post on her Instagram.

“My biggest problem right now isn’t the loss, it’s that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a weird feeling, missing balls that I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I can remember. I try to tell myself ‘it’s okay, you’re doing great, just get through this and keep pushing’, but mentally it’s really exhausting. Inside I can hear myself screaming ‘what the hell is going on here?!?!'”

Osaka on ‘being postpartum’

Since becoming a mother, Osaka has spoken on several occasions about how that particular milestone has changed her perspective on life and her career. She shared that she has become gentler with herself, while also trying to achieve her big goals and be the best role model possible for her daughter Shai.

But now the 26-year-old Japanese admits that something hasn’t been quite right lately.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a handful of matches this year where I felt like myself and I know this moment is probably just a short phase of all the new transitions (clay, grass, gravel, hard etc.), but the only feeling I can compare myself to right now is the feeling I have after giving birth,” Osaka added.

“That’s scary, because I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3, the tennis racket has to feel like an extension of my hand. I don’t understand why everything has to feel almost new again. For me, this should be as easy as breathing, but it’s not and I really haven’t given myself the space for that until now.”

Osaka vows to fight

After making some big revelations, Osaka stressed that while the process may not be going smoothly, she has no plans to stop anytime soon. Instead, she still wants and believes that she can achieve the goals she set for herself when she made a comeback from her pregnancy earlier this year.

“During this time I asked myself what I want out of this whole experience and I realized something. I love the process (even though sometimes the process doesn’t love me back haha), working hard every day and eventually getting the chance to get where you want to be,” Osaka said.

“I know that life is not guaranteed, so I want to do the best I can with the time I have. I want to teach my daughter that with hard work and perseverance, she can achieve so much. I want her to aim for the stars and never think that her dreams are too big. Nothing in life is promised, but I realized that I can promise myself to work as hard as I can and do my best until the end. See you in New York.”

Osaka is a two-time US Open champion, having won the title in 2018 and 2020. But after knocking out Toronto in the second round and failing to make it through qualifying in Cincinnati, it is clear the former world No. 1 will not be well prepared for Flushing Meadows.

It will be interesting to see how Osaka will fare on the court in her next matches after her honest reflections and revelations.