In a revealing new film, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka shares how motherhood reshaped her expectations and her future. Initially, Osaka thought her playing days were over when she became a mom. But the reality took her in a different direction.
The documentary Naomi Osaka: The Second Set, due August 24 on Tubi, chronicles her life after giving birth to her daughter, Shai, in July 2023. Osaka told PEOPLE, “I was one of those people that thought when I had a kid I would stop playing tennis.”
The athlete returned to training just one week after giving birth. Despite external pressure, she remained firm in her commitment. “I feel like in the back of my head, I was a little stressed, of course, because I really desperately wanted to play,” she recalled. “That’s kind of my, I guess, stubbornness.”
In the film, Osaka opens up about another struggle: postpartum depression. She admitted she was unprepared for the emotional toll. She described herself feeling like a “shell” of herself and disconnected from the world.
Her support network proved crucial. Osaka credited other mothers for sharing advice and comfort. She also pointed to the joy of motherhood: “Just seeing her makes my day brighter,” she said of her daughter.
Rather than an ending, Osaka now views her return as a new beginning. She called the film a “love letter” to both her daughter and fellow mothers.
She even plans for Shai to sit in the stands during the 2025 U.S. Open. “For me, it would be a very full-circle moment,” she said. “I hope that I wouldn’t cry on court.”
Osaka’s story reflects a larger shift in women’s tennis. In March, the WTA launched a maternity fund offering up to 12 months of paid leave. Osaka has been an advocate. She said, “Having a kid shouldn’t feel like a punishment.”
Osaka finished 2024 with a title in Saint-Malo and a runner-up in the Canadian Open, her first notable results since becoming a mother. Her ranking sits in the 20s.