Becoming a mother shifted Naomi Osaka’s perspective tremendously, as she now wants to utilize every second of her day.
The Japanese player became pregnant while working her way back to tennis, postponing her return to tennis because of it. The comeback came early this year after she gave birth last year, and so far, it’s been a pretty positive one.
She didn’t play as well as she had hoped, including her most recent return on clay, but she’s really giving it her all to make the most of it. She’s determined to succeed because she wants to show her daughter and because every second counts now.
In a talk with Nick Kyrgios for the podcast he does under her production company, Osaka explained how laser-focused she’s been during this comeback compared to the past.
“So far like practice wise? I just feel like I don’t have time to waste, so I’m trying to be really efficient with everything. And I think when I was younger I could hit for like three hours and kind of waste time in the middle or whatever. But now I know there’s someone waiting for me at home and I have to take care of her. So right now I just feel like every second counts.”
She’s also learned how to let go of things faster because now she has someone who is the most important person to her, so smaller things that used to bother her significantly don’t bother her anymore.
She hopes that it translates to tennis as well because it can help her refocus quickly during a match and forget losses when they do happen.
“Understanding the importance of time is a skill I improved on after having Shai, things that used to bother me don’t bother me anymore. I don’t have time for it. In that same aspect I feel I don’t have time to mope after losses anymore, the world moves on and I have to continue to walk forward.”
