Naomi Osaka is going to be a mom! On Jan. 11, the tennis star announced on Instagram that she’s pregnant with her first child. “Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023,” she captioned a photo of her sonogram.
Osaka’s announcement comes one week after the athlete decided to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open. “The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun,” she said. “These few months away from sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to. I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted. [Every day] is a new blessing and adventure.”
The mom-to-be added that she looks forward to the day when she can share her love for tennis with her child. “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,” she said, adding that she also looks forward to getting back on the court next year. “2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me and I hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I’ll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely.” On the next slide, Osaka shared the same message in Japanese.
In the comments section, celebrity friends shared their congratulations, including Halle Bailey, Marsai Martin, Ella Mae, and more.
As of 2019, Osaka has been dating Cordae. Since announcing their relationship, the couple have kept their love life relatively private. In September 2021, they were spotted together on the red carpet at the Met Gala. A few months later, in January 2022, Osaka congratulated Cordae on the release of his sophomore album, “From a Birds Eye View.”
Osaka – who released her children’s book, “The Way Champs Play,” in December – added, “Sidenote: I don’t think there’s a perfectly correct path to take in life but I always felt that if you move forward with good intentions you’ll find your way eventually.”