Making a comeback in the sport is no mean feat, especially after being away from it for months. Ask Naomi Osaka, who missed the entire 2023 season while being on maternity leave. However, she made a comeback last year and is slowly looking to get back to her best. Nonetheless, the comeback hasn’t been easy for Osaka, having encountered many tough losses. Amid her return to the sport, Osaka experienced mixed feelings of being a newbie as well as a veteran.
Before Osaka went on maternity leave, she had already won four Grand Slam titles. Being one of the most successful players of the post-Serena Williams era, the Japanese star is already an established name in the tennis world. However, being away from the sport for a year, Osaka was disconnected from the tennis world and returned as a near-stranger.
During an interview, she said, “I feel like a veteran and also a newbie at the same time um you know like in a weird way yes and no um but also I feel like I’ve been out of the game periodically to the point where I accept the fact that I’m playing new people because there are new people that come into the game every year and obviously I was out for a year and some change.”
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via Reuters Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – May 29, 2024 Japan’s Naomi Osaka reacts during her second round match against Poland’s Iga Swiatek REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Despite the difficulties faced in her comeback season, Osaka’s fighting spirit has remained constant. “I was thinking about this last year, but I’m not a really confrontational person. But when you’re on the court, it’s like you’re in a boxing match. You need to have the will to fight more than the other person and I feel like I finally found that again. So I’m just really grateful for that,” Osaka explained.
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Meanwhile, Osaka didn’t have the best of results last year, as she returned empty-handed. As she set her sights on the 2025 season, Osaka reflected on her past year.
Naomi Osaka continues to put in the hard work
Following her maternity leave in 2023, Osaka made a comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International. However, she had an inconsistent show last year, with a quarterfinal appearance at the Qatar Open being her best result of 2024. Despite admitting to struggling last season, Osaka remained determined to put in the hard work and get back to her best.
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Earlier this week, she revealed, “I think the key focuses I had were to have a lot of belief and confidence in myself. I think I put a lot of work in throughout last year. Even though the results didn’t show it, I think just continuing to try as hard as I can and to see where it gets me.”
Last year, she even admitted, “My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though, my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body.” Nonetheless, Osaka worked hard to get back in shape during the off-season and is looking to come back stronger than before in the 2025 season.