Naomi Osaka has made a striking announcement ahead of her season opener in Auckland, suggesting that she may retire if her performance does not meet her expectations. The four-time Grand Slam champion, now 27, emphasized that her primary motivation for returning to tennis after her pregnancy last year was to win major titles.
However, Osaka’s return to the sport has not gone as planned. In the past year, she failed to progress beyond the second round in any Grand Slam tournament, finishing the season with a 22-17 record and only two quarterfinal appearances. As a result, she ended the year ranked No. 58 in the world.
Reflecting on her challenging year, Osaka stated, “I think 2024 humbled me, but I also feel like I grew a lot. I worked way harder than I’ve ever worked before. So in that, I guess it was very painful to not get the results I wanted.”
Osaka expressed her commitment to her career but acknowledged the importance of her current circumstances. “I don’t think I’m the type of player that would hang around. I have a lot of respect for all the players on tour, but at this point in my life, if I’m not above a certain ranking, I don’t see myself playing for a while. I’d rather spend time with my daughter if I’m not where I think I should be and where I feel like I can be,” she explained.
In Auckland, Osaka is set to compete for the first time since her debut in 2017. She is seeded No. 7 in the WTA 250 tournament and will face qualifier Lina Glushko in her opening match. With no top-10 players in the draw, Osaka has a favorable opportunity to make a deep run and potentially secure her first title since 2021.
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