Planned return to sport
Osaka ends guesswork with pregnancy post
01/11/2023 7:52 p.m
Naomi Osaka’s cancellation for the Australian Open has recently caused some guesswork. Now the tennis star is sharing good news – and is already planning a year ahead. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is plagued by injury concerns shortly before the start of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Former tennis world number one Naomi Osaka from Japan is pregnant and expecting her first child. “I know I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I look forward to is my kid watching one of my games and saying to someone, ‘This is my mom haha,'” the four-timer wrote Grand Slam tournament winner on Twitter, The 25-year-old published a photo of an ultrasound image showing an unborn baby.
The two-time Australian Open winner recently canceled her participation in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, which starts in Melbourne on Monday. The organizers did not give a reason for the withdrawal. Osaka had not competed in a WTA tournament since withdrawing from a tournament in Tokyo last September due to abdominal pain. Now she has announced that she will be back at the Australian Open next year.
“I can’t wait to get back on the pitch but here’s a little life update for 2023,” Osaka wrote on Instagram along with her longer text. “Recent months away from sport have really given me a renewed love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to. I’m realizing that life is so short and that I never take a moment for granted.”
Djokovic has to stop training
Osaka received numerous congratulations on social networks, including from US legend Billie Jean King. The German Angelique Kerber is currently pausing because of her pregnancy.
Meanwhile, nine-time Melbourne winner Novak Djokovic is plagued by injury concerns a few days before the start of the Australian Open. The Serb pulled out of a training game against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev due to pain in his left thigh. As ABC and 9News Melbourne reported, Djokovic ended the session, which was actually scheduled for 75 minutes, after just over half an hour.
“It’s the thigh that I had problems with in Adelaide last week,” top favorite Djokovic said, according to 9News. He felt a pull and therefore did not want to take any risks. “I played a set and then apologized to him (Medvedev, editor’s note) and he understood,” said the 35-year-old: “I want to avoid a bigger shock from the Australian Open.”