Naomi Osaka announces she will return to tennis in 2024

Naomi Osaka is returning to tennis, but not until next year.

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The former No. 1 announced during an interview with ESPN that she will be returning to pro tennis. She expects to compete in January’s Australian Open, the same tournament that she had withdrawn from this year because of her pregnancy.

Osaka gave birth to her daughter, Shai, with her boyfriend, rapper Cordae, in July, CNN and ESPN reported.

Both media outlets said that she will have a busy schedule in 2024.

The four-time major champion told ESPN, “It’s definitely way more tournaments than I used to play.”

Osaka, who represents Japan, said she plans on playing more next year because she isn’t sure how well she will do when she returns and wants to make sure she gets enough court time.

“At least I’m going to set myself up for a very good end of the year.”

Osaka was at the U.S. Open this week to speak about mental health and sports. She appeared with former Olympian Michael Phelps and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. Both Osaka and Phelps discussed “their personal mental health journeys,” according to the U.S. Open.

Osaka has had issues with mental health, most notably when she was emotional during a mandatory news conference at Roland Garros in 2021, CNN reported.

She dropped out of the French Open that same year, saying that she had “suffered long bouts of depression” after winning her first major championship in 2018, CNN reported.

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Through the years STANFORD, CA - JULY 28: Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a shot to Samantha Stosur of Australia during Day 1 of the Bank of the West Classic at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium on July 28, 2014 in Stanford, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)