Watch : Tennis Star Naomi Osaka Is Pregnant With 1st Baby
In tennis, it’s imperative to be able to dart forward, shuffle from side to side and sprint backwards in a matter of seconds, hence the players’ perpetual bounce on the court, even when they’re standing still.
Naomi Osaka has that characteristic spring in her step—and she’s been adept at keeping her fans on their toes, too.
The four-time Grand Slam winner, who’s been dating rapper Cordae since 2019, shared Jan. 11 that she is pregnant with her first child—meaning tennis will be without the mercurial champion for awhile longer than expected.
Tournament organizers had announced just a day before that Osaka had withdrawn from the 2023 Australian Open, prolonging what had been an almost-five-month absence from the WTA Tour since losing in the first round of the U.S. Open in September, after which injuries curtailed her season.
But let’s just say, she made the most of her time off.