Having last played a professional match more than a year ago, new mother Naomi Osaka is ready for her comeback. She is set to return to action in pro women’s singles, set to take place in Australia. But her big target is to play not only in the French Open but also in the Paris Olympics 2024.
“I definitely want to win more Grand Slams and I guess put in more time in [for] the French Open and Wimbledon, and play the Paris Olympics,” she told NHK.
After a break of over a year, Osaka’s return will be in the pro women’s singles in Australia before turning her focus to the other grand slams in the calendar year. But with 2024 also sporting the Paris Olympics, the 26-year-old, four-time tennis major seeks to shine in the mega tournament in the French capital.
The former World Number 1, who has been out of action for almost 15 months, gave birth to a girl, named Shai. She withdrew her name from the Australian Open 2023 owing to her pregnancy and pledged to return to the court in 2024.
“I kind of like the feeling of having the responsibility of having to take care of Shai and wanting to show her around the world. I feel more like I’m playing for her,” she added.
Back in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), she was selected to light the cauldron. Apart from her 4 major wins, she became an icon in the sporting world when she stood up for the mental health issues of other fellow athletes.
A veteran in hard courts (2 US Opens, 2 Australian Opens), the Paris Olympics will pose an added challenge for Osaka. For the first time since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, clay court will be used in the Olympics.
“I want to be someone that understands the game a lot more. In the first chapter of my tennis I kind of got away with just being myself and playing with my instincts,” she concluded.
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