Naomi Osaka has opened up about her struggles to regain her previous form in tennis after returning from maternity leave.
The former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, who returned to the WTA Tour in January after giving birth to her first child, has faced challenges on the court. Despite her efforts, Osaka has not advanced beyond the quarterfinals in any tournament this year. On Monday, she was defeated in the second round of qualifying for the Cincinnati Open in Ohio.
“My biggest issue right now isn’t the losses; it’s that I don’t feel like I’m in my own body”, the 26-year-old shared on social media on Tuesday.
“It’s a strange feeling—missing shots I shouldn’t miss, hitting the ball softer than I used to. I keep telling myself, ‘It’s okay, you’re doing great. Just get through this and keep pushing.’ But mentally, it’s really draining.”
Osaka noted that she has only felt like herself in a handful of matches this year and acknowledged that this might be a temporary phase due to various surface transitions (clay, grass, hard courts). However, she compared her current feelings to being postpartum, which she finds unsettling.
“That scares me because I’ve been playing tennis since I was three—the racket should feel like an extension of my hand“, she added.
Despite these challenges, Osaka is still set to compete in the US Open, which begins on August 26. She has won the tournament twice, in 2018 and 2020.