“Driving a car that wasn’t mine,” Naomi Osaka reveals the daunting experience of otherness in her body after the life-changing experience of motherhood

The four-time Major winner is currently busy at the Qatar Open, where she looks to get some wins under her belt after a poor January.

“Driving a car that wasn’t mine,” Naomi Osaka reveals the daunting experience of otherness in her body after the life-changing experience of motherhood

Naomi Osaka (image via IMAGO)

Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka is back to winning ways as she moves into the third round of the ongoing WTA-1000 event in Qatar. The Japanese icon got the better of Petra Martic in the second round. She won the match 6-3, 7-6 (9), to register her second consecutive straight-set win. 

Ranked 747th currently, she avenged her loss in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open by defeating Caroline Garcia in the first round. She ousted the Frenchwoman 7-5, 6-4. She was on a three-match losing streak coming into Doha but has now won two on the trot to register her third win of the season.

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It’s been a difficult comeback for Osaka. She has been returning since her maternity break, having welcomed her daughter Shai last year with her boyfriend Cordae. Due to her pregnancy, the four-time Grand Slam singles title winner did not play a single match in the 2023 season. 

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She, however, made a quick return to the court for practice post-childbirth. She shared a video of her doing some drills merely two weeks after announcing the birth of her daughter. Following her win over Martic, she opened up about how the journey was for her in making a comeback. 

It's been a really tough journey. I feel like for me I always feel like or felt like I was chasing myself in the past, and honestly it wasn't really healthy to do. Like after giving birth, I feel like I trained, like, really quickly, and that was my choice, of course, and I was really happy to do that.
Commented Osaka speaking in the press conference. 
But I also felt like I'm a very big perfectionist, and it's kind of tough when you don't see results as quickly. I give this example a lot: I kind of felt like I was driving a car that wasn't mine, so my body didn't feel like the body that I was used to.
Added the four-time Major winner.

Naomi Osaka comments on the ‘special feeling’ of her struggles during pregnancy

Osaka made her pregnancy announcement in January 2023 and had clearly communicated about skipping the entire season. She kept on posting updates about her pregnancy and later about her time with the daughter while managing her training routine as well. 

Naomi Osaka with her daughter Shai
Naomi Osaka with her daughter Shai (Via: People)

Adding to her previous comments, she talked about the physical struggles she faced during pregnancy. With her changing body size and limited mobility at times, she felt frustrated. But the realization of doing it all for her daughter made all the difference to the two-time US Open winner. 

It was honestly a really strange feeling just to not even be able to get out of bed, so I couldn't do a situp or anything. That kind of continued for months. I don't know.
Said Osaka. 
It was in that journey I felt like I learned how to love myself as I am now, and it was a really special feeling, because I got to wake up every day and see my daughter and know that I was strong enough for her to come into this world. So that was cool.
Conlcuded the Japanese.

With the win over Martic, Osaka will now take on Lesia Tsurenko. The Ukrainian defeated Ons Jabeur in the second round overpowering the Tunisian in straight sets. The Japanese currently lead their head-to-head 2-1 with their last meeting taking place back in 2019.

Osaka’s win against Martic saw her make another big leap in the rankings, as she has broken into the Top-400 of the live rankings. If she manages to defeat Tsurenko, she will break into the Top 3000 as well and continue her pursuit of returning to the Top 10. 

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