Naomi Osaka expresses doubts about her career after a first-round upset: "If I lose in the first round, I'd rather not play."

Naomi Osaka has struggled to find her rhythm throughout 2026, carrying her poor form from the Australian Open and Indian Wells Open into the Miami Open. As the 16th seed, after a first-round bye, she lost 5-7, 4-6 to qualifier Gibson. After the match, Osaka expressed uncertainty about her clay-court season prospects, choosing to prioritize spending time with her two-year-old daughter, Shai.

At the post-match press conference, Naomi Osaka discussed her plans for the upcoming clay-court season and reflected on balancing motherhood with her tennis career, stating, "I feel this is also a dilemma for me."

She confirmed she will reduce her tournament schedule for the clay season, planning to start competing at the Madrid Open. However, the Japanese star remains unsure about maintaining top form, saying, "Obviously, I want to play, but as I said last year... my daughter is very important to me. I want to be a mom, the best mom I can be. But sometimes I feel I know what it takes to be a truly great player, and that is very difficult."

She also reviewed the early losses she has faced this season. Osaka's first setback came at the Australian Open, where she withdrew in the third round due to a left abdominal injury; followed by another tough campaign at Indian Wells, losing in straight sets to Sabalenka in the quarterfinals; and then another early exit at the Miami Open worsened her situation.

Following this, Osaka clearly stated her long-term stance: "For me, as I said last year, if I lose in the first round, I won't stay on the tour. I'd rather be a good mom and be with my daughter." She continued, "Because for me, I want to win championships, I want to be the best player I can be, but if I have to sacrifice a lot of time with my daughter, I'd rather not do that."

Regarding the upcoming Charleston Open, Osaka clarified her position, announcing she will skip that event and focus only on select tournaments: "I won't play the Charleston event starting March 28. I hope to play Madrid, Rome, and then of course the French Open." Her schedule is carefully planned as she balances career and family.

Her return to tennis in 2024 was not smooth; she chose to comeback shortly after giving birth to her daughter Shai, a transition that demanded immense physical and mental effort.

Last season showed signs of progress: she reached the US Open semifinals and the Montreal Canadian Open final, demonstrating her potential. Injuries also slowed her momentum; she withdrew from the Australian Open due to a recurring abdominal issue, which she believes is related to pregnancy. She also mentioned recent back problems, joking, "Girl, I'm getting older here." Despite the challenges, she maintained a light tone.

Regarding motherhood, Osaka has always been clear, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of this role to her.

On the WTA tour, very few players achieve sustained success after becoming mothers; this transition often brings new challenges, and balancing career and family remains difficult. Townsend is an example; she recently won the Indian Wells doubles title but revealed she cried after missing her son's birthday. Another example is Bencic, who won her second WTA title as a mother, defeating Noskova in the final of last year's Pan Pacific Open.

But for Osaka, success has been limited. After becoming a mother, she has won only one title, at the Saint-Malo 35 Open in France, which was her first trophy after giving birth to Shai in July 2023.

Before this year's United Cup, she attributed much of her success to her daughter: "My daughter is my motivation; she is always in my thoughts. There are many amazing mom players on the tour. Even though I didn't complete the full season, during the recovery periods of a long season, I still get time with my daughter. I hope to compete in a healthy state."

Osaka also reflected on how her mindset changed after becoming a mother: "My most important identity is not as a player, but as my daughter's mom." Looking ahead, uncertainty remains. It is unclear whether Osaka will participate in the Madrid Open starting April 20; only time will reveal her next steps.Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark