Naomi Osaka is learning to serve both aces and baby bottles, and she’s not sugarcoating how tough that can be.
In a refreshingly honest chat with ‘Hello! Magazine’, the four-time Grand Slam winner opened up about the beautiful chaos of motherhood, life on tour, and co-parenting after her recent split. Now 27, Osaka is back on the tennis circuit with a new title in tow — mom to her one-year-old daughter, Shai.
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“It’s tough,” she admitted, reflecting on the reality of being away from her baby girl so often. “My career requires me to travel for most of the year… but I’ve got such a great support system around.”
And that support is everything. “It takes a village, and I truly couldn’t do it without mine. They’re there with me during the highs and lows.”
Motherhood, it seems, has shifted something deeply within Naomi Osaka. She described the experience as “so fulfilling” and credited little Shai for teaching her one of life’s biggest lessons: patience.
“Kids require so much of it,” she said, smiling. “I’ve definitely learned to be more patient through my daughter.”
Osaka and rapper Cordae, Shai’s father, were together publicly since 2019 before quietly parting ways in early 2025. Despite the breakup, the pair seem to be navigating co-parenting with mutual respect. Back in December, Osaka praised Cordae’s calm demeanor and how they’ve managed to build a solid foundation as parents.
“I think we just respect each other’s opinions,” she told ‘InStyle’ at the time. “And if we disagree on something, we talk it out. At the end of the day, we both want what’s best for Shai.”
That grounded approach seems to reflect where Osaka is in life right now — balancing ambition with motherhood, tennis with toddlerhood.
As for the idea of growing her family someday? The answer is a gentle maybe.
“Maybe one day,” she said thoughtfully. “I love cooking and having a house full of people to feed, so that would be fun. For now, I’ll stick to cooking for extended family and friends!”