Tennis player Naomi Osaka shared with her fans that she has given birth to a baby girl. Picture: naomiosaka/Instagram
While the tennis world contemplates the salivating finals this weekend on the green at Wimbledon, Naomi Osaka reintroduced herself to the world as a mother.
She and her US boyfriend rapper Cordae became first time parents after welcoming their daughter.
The 25-year-old tennis player shared a photo of her daughter wearing a cute onesie with tennis racket embroidery, without showing the baby’s face yesterday.
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The post included images of herself still with the baby bump, one at the hospital and what seems like a picnic welcoming her home as a mother.
Osaka and Cordae have been publicly dating since 2019. Cordae, whose real name is Cordae Amari Dunston, is also the same age as Osaka and is a three-time Grammy nominated artist who has made a name for himself in the past five years.
Osaka curated her baby’s gender-neutral room in collaboration with international kid’s furniture store Crate & Kids.
“I really wanted something that felt peaceful and serene and would help the baby feel comfortable and calm. The Crate & Kids team really brought that vibe to life,” said Osaka.
“Crate & Kids was so helpful and made the process really fun and enjoyable. The changing table and dresser were things I knew I wanted to look chic and beautiful and will be used for years to come.”
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In 2021, Osaka was forced to withdraw from Roland Garros after she was fined for skipping a press conference after her first-round victory − and threatened by all four Grand Slam tournaments with the possibility of disqualification or suspension if she continued to avoid the media.
She said she experienced anxiety before speaking to the media and revealed she suffered bouts of depression.
But last year or so, the young tennis star seems to have found her centre and learnt to deal with mental health issues.
“Perhaps we should give athletes the right to take a mental break from media scrutiny on a rare occasion without being subjected to strict sanctions,” Osaka wrote in a Time Magazine article titled, “It’s O.K. to not be O.K.”
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