“My Daughter’s A Huge Part Of It” – Naomi Osaka Makes Emotional Admission About Her Mental Health Issues & Overcoming Them

Nancy Singh Sat, October 3, 2026 at 5:59 PM UTC

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Naomi Osaka © Imagn

Naomi Osaka has opened up about how her mental health struggles changed her outlook on tennis, crediting motherhood and her three-year-old daughter, Shai, with helping her gain a greater perspective on the sport.

Osaka opened her China Open campaign on Friday after receiving a first-round bye as the 12th seed. She defeated Maria Timofeeva 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the second round. Following the victory, she spoke about her mental health struggles and overcoming them during her post-match press conference.

In 2021, she took a break from tennis after revealing that she had been struggling with her mental health since her 2018 US Open victory over Serena Williams. When asked whether she was doing better now and happier despite not winning Grand Slam titles recently or being at the top of the rankings, Osaka opened up about her struggles and the role her daughter has played in her journey.

“I mean, I think it’s all about mindset. I feel like I’m definitely happier now. It’s because, like, tennis isn’t my entire life. I’ve managed to build a life outside of that. My daughter’s a huge part of it. I feel like it’s also a part of growing up. I think I was very sheltered as a kid. I literally ate, slept, and breathed for tennis. Now it’s just like growing up being grateful to be able to play the sport, but understanding that nothing lasts forever. I’m just trying to do the best with the time that I have,” said Naomi Osaka.

Osaka’s most recent Grand Slam title came at the 2021 Australian Open, where she defeated Jennifer Brady in the final.

When Naomi Osaka opened up about her mental health struggles amid the French Open in 2021

After winning her first-round match against Patricia Maria Țig on May 30, 2021, at the French Open, Naomi Osaka skipped her post-match press conference and was fined $15,000. The Grand Slam organizers also warned that continued media boycotts could lead to further disciplinary action, including disqualification.

On May 31, Osaka announced that she would withdraw from the tournament to focus on her mental health. Opening up about experiencing “long bouts of depression” since the 2018 US Open, Osaka also revealed that she had been dealing with severe social anxiety and panic before public speaking.

In a statement shared on X, then known as Twitter, she wrote:

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“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago. I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my wellbeing is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris. “The truth is I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that. Though the tennis press has always been kind to me (and I want to apologise to all the cool journalists who I may have hurt), I am not a natural public speaker and get huge waves of anxiety before I speak to the world’s media,” wrote Naomi Osaka.

She added:

“I get really nervous and find it stressful to always try to engage and give you the best answers I can. So here in Paris I was already feeling vulnerable and anxious, so I thought it was better to exercise self-care and skip the press conferences. I announced it preemptively because I do feel like the rules are quite outdated in parts and I wanted to highlight that.”

She further said that she would return to the court when she felt ready and wanted to work with the tour to find ways to improve the experience for players, the press, and fans.

Naomi Osaka will next face Sara Bejlek in the China Open on Sunday in the round of 32.

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