Naomi Osaka's ex-boyfriend & father to her daughter Shai shows off how involved he still is in their child's life even after break-up

Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka and rapper Cordae parted ways after over five years of dating. They got together in 2019 and even became parents in 2023 following the birth of their daughter, Shai. However, the two called it quits earlier this year.

While Osaka juggles her professional commitments with motherhood, Cordae also makes it a point to be a part of their daughter's life. While she returned to the tour a year ago, her second innings on the WTA Tour started to garner some steam in recent months. She finished as the runner-up at the Canadian Open, and reached the semifinals of the US Open as well. However, her string of good results took a hit after she left the China Open without a win.

While Osaka was in Beijing for the China Open, Cordae also took a trip to the country. He visited one of the most famous landmarks in the country, the Great Wall of China. He wore a t-shirt with "Harvard Dad" emblazoned on it, and shared the meaning behind it as well.

Screenshot of Cordae's Instagram story. (Source: Instagram - @cordae)

Harvard University is one of the most prestigious educational institutes in the entire world. Cordae has lofty goals for his daughter, and bought the t-shirt shortly before she was born as a way of manifesting a bright future for her. Osaka and Cordae continue to co-parent Shai, and they are very protective regarding their child's privacy. The tennis pro had nothing but kind words for her former partner after their break-up.

Coincidentally, Osaka also posted a flurry of photos on social media from her trip to the Great Wall before her China Open campaign, around the same time as Cordae's visit. While her outing in Beijing ended on a sour note, she will be keen to make up for it with a deep run at the Wuhan Open. However, a tough opponent awaits her in the very first round.

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Naomi Osaka to begin her Wuhan Open 2025 campaign against Leylah Fernandez

Naomi Osaka at the China Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Naomi Osaka had an unbeaten record against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, winning all four of their prior encounters. So when they were slated to meet at the China Open 2025, the Japanese star was expected to kickstart her quest for the title with a comfortable win.

Sasnovich instead turned the tables on Osaka this time, staging a comeback to seal a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. The former World No. 1 will be keen to put that loss in the rearview mirror with a good start at the Wuhan Open. However, with Leylah Fernandez being her first-round opponent, the possibility of another early exit looms on the horizon.

Their only prior showdown was a high-profile affair. Fernandez upset Osaka in the third round en route to the US Open final in 2021, bringing an end to the latter's title defense. This will be their first meeting since then, and Osaka will be eager to settle the score. The two will play their first-round match in Wuhan on Tuesday, October 7.