Naomi Osaka says daughter's wishes could shape her tennis future

Naomi Osaka says her daughter's wishes could determine how long she continues playing tennis, even as she believes she is approaching her best form again. According to BBC Sport, the four-time Grand Slam champion said she would be prepared to stop if her three-year-old daughter, Shai, wanted her to spend less time travelling. Her comments were conditional, rather than an announcement that she intends to retire.

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Speaking as she prepared for the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, the 29-year-old said she often thinks about the length of her remaining career. She explained that she would not ignore a request from her daughter to travel less. Parenthood and age have changed her outlook, she said, with her child taking priority even while she continues to devote energy to competing.

Osaka also expressed pride in the progress she has made without being able to dedicate all her time to the sport. The Japanese player has returned to 19th in the world rankings and is seeded seventh in Tokyo. She is due to face Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the opening round, BBC Sport reported.

Her recent results include a Wimbledon quarter-final appearance after a victory over top seed Aryna Sabalenka. That run followed a runner-up finish at the grass-court tournament in Bad Homberg. Osaka also reached the last 16 at both the French Open and US Open, giving her runs into the second week at three Grand Slam tournaments this year.

On North American hard courts, she reached the Washington semi-finals and the Toronto quarter-finals. Her US Open campaign ended against Elena Rybakina, who went on to win the title. Those performances follow an earlier career that brought Osaka two Australian Open titles and two US Open titles between 2018 and 2021, as well as the world number one ranking.

Asked about winning titles again, Osaka said she felt close but was still relearning some of the instincts that had helped her previously. She described having established a solid foundation and said she was eager to keep learning and progress further through tournaments. That optimism about her tennis sits alongside an open-ended view of her future, with family considerations central to any decision.