Naomi Osaka recently shared a heartfelt post about the struggles she has been facing on the tennis court. The 4-time Grand Slam champion talked about how, over the years, she has come to appreciate losses since they teach valuable lessons. Sadly, what has been getting to her lately is the weird feeling of not being fully in sync with her own body.
Osaka is missing shots she usually wouldn’t and not hitting the ball as hard as she knows she can, which has been mentally exhausting. She even compared this to the challenges of being in the postpartum phase, which is scary for someone who has been playing since she was a kid and should feel completely at home with a racket in her hand.
“My biggest issue currently isn’t losses though, my biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.”
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Despite all this, Osaka is determined to keep grinding and show her daughter the importance of hard work and perseverance. Fans have been super supportive, flooding her with words of encouragement.
Sending all the love to Osaka and hoping for a comeback bigger than ever pic.twitter.com/j1vJzHAM5W
— Tennis world (@claygrasshard) August 14, 2024
The tennis faithful love how open and honest Osaka is being about her struggles, reminding her that every athlete goes through rough patches and that she’ll find her groove again soon. Some even pointed out how inspiring it is that she’s pushing through not just for herself, but for her daughter too.
Osaka made her comeback this year after taking some time off for her mental health and pregnancy. While the results have been mixed, she has been working hard to get back to her best.
Her recent run in Cincinnati did not go as planned though, with an early-round exit. The focus will now be on New York, where Osaka hopes to bounce back and seek to add to her two US Open titles.
