Naomi Osaka is offering an honest and personal look into the challenges she faced during her pregnancy and how those experiences have shaped her views on future pregnancies. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion, now 26, recently took to TikTok to address rumors and share her thoughts on motherhood.
On Sunday, August 18, Osaka responded to a comment on one of her previous TikTok videos that speculated whether she might be pregnant again, sending her well-wishes if that were the case. Filming from her bed, Osaka set the record straight: “I just wanna say, I’m not preggos, but if I was, I wouldn’t want many more, because giving birth was traumatic. But thank you, though, for your blessings.”
Osaka became a mother in July 2023, when she and her partner, rapper Cordae, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Shai.
Since then, she has been open about the physical and emotional hurdles she faced during pregnancy and the adjustment to life as a new mother.
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Shortly after Shai’s birth, Osaka spoke with ESPN about the internal conflict she felt being away from the tennis world for an extended period. “I definitely only know this world, the tennis world, and just being away from that for a long time, it was new for me,” she shared. “I think it was just the whole new situation and not being able to train like I wanted to… It kind of made me feel like I just had to stay at home, and you know how doctors tell you not to travel after a certain amount of weeks—it just felt like a lot of restrictions. I think that was what it was.”
In a December interview with InStyle, Osaka opened up further about the complications she experienced during pregnancy, including testing positive for Group B streptococcus, a bacterial infection that can be dangerous for newborns. She also revealed that her labor lasted over 12 hours, making the process even more grueling. “I don’t think people know how hard pregnancy is; no one really talks about it as much,” Osaka said. “Going into it, you kind of think, ‘Oh, it’s this beautiful journey.’ But it’s kind of rough.”
Her candid reflections continued in a recent conversation, where Osaka discussed how motherhood has transformed her approach to health and wellness. “For me, it is not just about physical fitness or performance metrics; it’s about feeling strong, focused and happy in every part of my life,” the tennis pro said.
“Becoming a mother has been a transformative experience that has shifted my perspective on wellness, both personally and professionally,” she added. “It’s taught me the importance of my own self-care in a whole new way.”
