On October 8, 2026, at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing, Naomi Osaka gave an interview that was more about life than tennis. In a conversation recounted by the Italian outlet SpazioTennis, citing Corriere dello Sport, the Japanese player admitted that she is happier now than before. The reason is that tennis is no longer her whole life. Her daughter now occupies a significant part of it.
Happiness beyond tennis
Osaka compared herself today with the person she was eight years ago, during the season of her first major title. The comparison favored the present.
“I’m definitely happier now than I was eight years ago… Tennis is no longer my whole life: I’ve built a life outside the sport, and my daughter is a huge part of it.” Naomi Osaka, SpazioTennis (recounting an interview with Corriere dello Sport)api.tennis
She has spoken about motherhood before. In the spring, in an interview with Oprah Daily published on May 5, 2026, Osaka summed up her approach in one sentence: “Taking care of myself is part of taking care of my daughter.” For her, taking care of herself is part of taking care of her daughter.
She spoke even more directly on August 30, at a press conference ahead of the US Open, when explaining why she skipped Cincinnati. After Washington and Montreal, she needed to return to her daughter. According to Osaka, as recounted by SpazioTennis, she believes her main job now is being a mom, with tennis in second place. She added self-deprecatingly that she just happens to be very good at that second job: “Mi capita solo di essere molto brava” (“I just happen to be very good at it”).
Fashion as a way to say more
Fashion was the second topic of the conversation in Beijing. Osaka loves it and makes no secret of using Grand Slam tournaments as a showcase for self-expression. The reason is simple: tennis outfits and regulations leave little room for imagination.
“I love fashion… in tennis, we’re a little limited by our outfits, so it’s fun for me to change things up sometimes and show what more can be done.” Naomi Osaka, SpazioTennis (recounting an interview with Corriere dello Sport)api.tennis
There is a long history behind those words. Since January 2021, Osaka has been a Louis Vuitton ambassador, and that same year she co-chaired the Met Gala. She has had her own capsule collections with Nike, a denim collection with Levi’s, and a collaboration with ADEAM. Her appearances on the Grand Slam courts are a continuation of an interest that has long gone beyond sportswear.
Daughter Shai and the road back to the tour
Osaka’s daughter, Shai, was born in July 2023. In January 2024, after a 15-month break, Naomi returned to the tour and spoke then of finding “new joy and perspective” in tennis.
The comeback was not immediate. At Roland Garros in May 2024, Osaka had a match point against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the second round, but Swiatek saved it and won the match. That match became one of the defining moments of her comeback.
A little over a year later, in September 2025, Osaka reached a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time as a mother. At the US Open, she beat Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals. After that match, WTA reported that Naomi said she was inspired by the moms on tour and described the relief she felt at reaching that stage.
“I’m really inspired by all the moms on tour… now I’m here and I feel like a weight’s been lifted off of my shoulders.” Naomi Osaka, WTAapi.tennis
Anime, heritage and life off court
Osaka’s mother is from Hokkaido, Japan, and her father is Haitian. Naomi has lived in the United States since she was three. She loves anime: at Wimbledon 2026, she named Sailor Moon and “Prince of Tennis” among her favorites.
Since 2020, Osaka has been developing the charitable program Play Academy with Naomi Osaka alongside Nike and Laureus. It began in Tokyo and has expanded to Los Angeles, Haiti and Osaka. Naomi also has her own skincare brand, KINLÒ, and a media company, Hana Kuma.
The season and the dream of another Slam
Osaka has four Grand Slam titles: the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. On January 28, 2019, she became the first Asian tennis player to top the singles rankings. In Beijing, Naomi admitted that her US Open and Australian Open triumphs meant more to her than reaching No. 1. And her dream is still tied to the major tournaments.
“I still dream of winning a Slam. I just have to figure out how to improve even more.” Naomi Osaka, SpazioTennis, Beijingapi.tennis
Her 2026 season has been steady, though she is still without a title: 28 wins and 11 losses. In July, Osaka reached the final on grass in Bad Homburg, but according to AS, she retired in the second set because of discomfort in her right foot, and the title went to Karolina Muchova. Next came a semifinal in Washington, a quarterfinal in Montreal and the fourth round of the US Open, where Osaka lost to Elena Rybakina. In Beijing, where she won in 2019, Naomi beat Maria Timofeeva and Sara Bejlek, then lost to Muchova in three sets in the round of 16: 5:7, 6:1, 6:7. The deciding tiebreak ended 9:7 in her opponent’s favor.
What others have said and what comes next
Osaka’s decisions have resonated with her peers before. When she withdrew from Roland Garros in 2021, citing concerns for her mental health, Billie Jean King called her move brave. And after losing to Osaka at the 2025 US Open, Coco Gauff said she would not let it “break” her and looked ahead.