Naomi Osaka is currently in New York City working on her side hustle — professional tennis.
The No. 13 player in the world told reporters at the US Open that she views tennis exactly like that, secondary to being a mother to her 3-year-old daughter, Shai.
“I think people forget my main job is to be a mom,” Osaka, 28, said on Saturday, August 29, before the tournament got underway. “This [tennis] is kind of like my side hustle a little bit. I just happen to be really good at it.”
The two-time US Open champion added that Shai herself is learning the game. Though she hasn’t taken the “real court” just yet, she “loves swinging her little mini racket around.”
“I feel like [tennis] teaches you a lot,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of characteristics that I have that I like that I know I gained through the sport, and I think sports in general is really good for kids. It teaches discipline and all those other things.”
Osaka welcomed Shai with ex-boyfriend Cordai in July 2023. The pair split in January after seven years together.
“Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship,” Osaka shared via her Instagram Story at the time. “No bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad.”
She continued, “Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together ❤️.”
While Osaka continues to focus on her main job as a mom, she has been open about not wanting a big family. After having Shai, she revealed her pregnancy came with a number of complications, including being in labor for 12 hours.
“I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is. No one really talks about it as much,” she told InStyle in December 2023. “Going into it, you kind of think, ‘Oh, it’s this beautiful journey.’ But it’s kind of rough.”
Before she had Shai, Osaka also reflected on how pregnancy took her away from tennis.
“These few months away from the sport [have] really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to,” she wrote via Instagram in January 2023. “I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure. I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘That’s my mom.’ Haha.”
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