Tennis star Naomi Osaka has announced that she is pregnant and plans to return to tennis in 2024. Osaka made the announcement on social media Wednesday, saying she was excited to be expecting and looked forward to getting back on the court. She has put to rest speculation about her future in the sport after withdrawing from the 2021 Australian Open earlier this week. Osaka also said that the last few months away from the sport have given her a new appreciation for it.
Naomi Osaka is a professional tennis player from Japan. She is a three-time Grand Slam champion, having won the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and the Australian Open in 2021. At the age of 22, she became the youngest player ever to be ranked No. 1 in the world by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).
Born in Japan to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, Osaka also holds Haitian citizenship. She began playing tennis at the age of 3 and moved to the United States at the age of 14 to train full-time.
Osaka is known for her powerful serve and aggressive playing style. She has been sponsored by a number of major brands, including Nike, Nissan, and Procter & Gamble. In 2020, Osaka withdrew from the French Open in order to prioritize her mental health, which sparked a conversation about the importance of mental health in sports.
Osaka is an advocate for social justice and has used her platform to speak out about racial issues and police brutality. She has been praised for her honesty and authenticity, and is considered one of the most influential and popular athletes in the world.
But she isnt the only woman athlete who is taking some time off to enjoy motherhood. Here are some of the other successful women who took a break from their high-flying careers in sports for their pregnancy and then came back with a bang:
Serena Williams: American professional tennis player, who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles. She gave birth to her daughter in 2017 and returned to the tour in 2018.
Michelle Wie: American professional golfer, who has won multiple tournaments on the LPGA Tour. She gave birth to her daughter in 2021 and returned to the tour in 2022.
Paula Radcliffe: British long-distance runner, who is a former marathon world record holder. She had two children during her competitive career and continued to compete at a high level after becoming a mother.
Diana Taurasi: American professional basketball player, who has won multiple WNBA championships and Olympic gold medals. She had her daughter in 2019 and returned to the court in 2020.
Kerri Walsh Jennings: American beach volleyball player, who has won three Olympic gold medals. She had two children during her career and returned to the sand soon after giving birth.
Sarah Sjöström: Swedish competitive swimmer, who has won multiple Olympic and world championship medals. She had her first child in 2020 and returned to competition in 2021.
Liezel Huber: South African-American retired professional tennis player, who was one of the top doubles players in the world. She had her daughter in 2007 and returned to the tour later that year.
Marion Jones: American retired track and field athlete, who won multiple Olympic gold medals. She had her first child in 2003 and returned to competition in 2005.
Oksana Chusovitina: retired gymnast from Uzbekistan, who competed for the Soviet Union, Unified Team, and Uzbekistan. She had her son in 1994 and returned to competition in 1995.
Candace Parker: American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Chicago Sky. She had her daughter in 2008 and returned to the court in 2009.
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