Naomi Osaka raised concern when she pulled out of the Australian Open earlier this month but revealed the reason why she’s not playing in the first Grand Slam tournament of 2023.
Osaka, 25, announced she is pregnant.
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"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 in a statement. "These few months away from the 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, everyday is a new blessing and adventure. 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. 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.
"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."
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Osaka’s boyfriend is rapper Cordae. The two have been together since 2019. She won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021.
She hasn’t played since September after withdrawing during the second round in Tokyo. She won her first-round match when Australia’s Daria Saville withdrew from the tournament. She’s only won one completed match since May and was beaten in the first round of her three previous tournaments, including the U.S. Open.
Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska was promoted in her place.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
