“Used to pray for time like these”;“Shouldn’t welcome a quitter” – Tennis fans react to Naomi Osaka’s comeback plans for 2024

Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is planning to be back in action next year

During a recent interview, Naomi Osaka revealed her comeback plans and vowed to play more tournaments than she played before she went on maternity leave. Interestingly, her revelation has drawn contradicting opinions from tennis fans on the internet.

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Accompanied by 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and the Surgeon General of the USA, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Osaka attended a conference on mental health issues among sportspersons at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday, September 6.

During her visit on the sidelines of the US Open, she also publicized plans for the second leg of her career in an interaction with ESPN.

"It's definitely way more tournaments than I used to play so I think some people will be happy with that," Osaka said, confirming her participation in the 2024 Australian Open.
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Osaka's announcement created a stir in the tennis world. As soon as the clips of her interview appeared on social media, fans rushed to share their emotions. While some were elated at her return, others felt the four-time Grand Slam champion was being overhyped ahead of her comeback.

A fan questioned:

"Why is she more coverage for not playing than the women actually playing."
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Another fan opined the former World No. 1 should not be welcomed.

"They shouldn't welcome back a quitter," the fan wrote.
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A separate chunk of the tennis lovers are, however, looking forward to seeing her again on the court.

"Omg. We used to pray for time like these," a user wrote.
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Another user suggested Naomi Osaka's presence will add to the excitement in tennis.

"Glad to see she's coming back! It's a pretty exciting time for tennis this year so far," the user tweeted.
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Here are few more reactions from X (formerly Twitter):

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"Never thought if I had a kid, I'd go back on tour" - Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka at a press conference.
Naomi Osaka at a press conference.

Recently, Naomi Osaka admitted to being uncertain about her post-pregnancy career. She sat down for a chat with Allyson and Wes Felix for an episode of the Mountaintop Conversations podcast. The 25-year-old voiced her insecurities saying:

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"Actually, there was a lot of pressure I felt for me. For me, I always had the assumption that if you have a kid, it’s basically the end of your career. I don’t really see a lot of women on the tennis tour with kids. They are usually a bit older, and it just seems like a very hard taxing on your body."
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However, the Japanese tennis star admitted that she said she felt empowered after having a kid, as it only made her appreciate the hard work she had already put into the game.

"I just never really thought if I had a kid, I’d go back on the tour. But I feel like it was a magical moment for me. It just made me think of all the things I love and appreciate and it just made me really want to work hard… I’ve played tennis since I was three and I want to appreciate the time that I can still play," she added.

Naomi Osaka gave birth to a baby girl this year on July 7. She and her rapper boyfriend Cordae named their daughter Shai.

Who is Naomi Osaka's boyfriend? All you need to know about the tennis star's dating history timeline

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Edited by Shyam Kamal
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