Naomi Osaka honestly picks between playing tennis and changing diapers

Naomi Osaka made a triumphant return to tennis as a mom and afterward admitted she prefers playing tennis over changing diapers. 

After welcoming her first child in July and missing the entire 2023 season, Osaka returned to tennis on the first day of the new year in Brisbane. On Monday, former world No. 1 Osaka’s comeback started with a 6-3 7-6 (9) over Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch. 

Following her opening win in Brisbane, Osaka was asked in her on-court interview to choose what’s easier between “closing out a match or getting a newborn to sleep.” Osaka answered the question with a smile on her face, saying: “Shai likes to fight her sleep. So I’d say preferably playing tennis over changing diapers.”

Osaka was ‘super nervous’

When Osaka took on Korpatsch, she was playing her first match since 2022 September. In her very first game back, Osaka broke Korpatsch to love to open the match with an early break. In the ninth game, Osaka broke Korpatsch again to seal the first set. 

After winning the first set without drama, Osaka lost her service in the opening game of the second set but managed to break back Korpatsch in the second game. Six games later, Osaka broke Korpatsch for a 5-3 lead and gave herself a chance to serve out for the match. 

But Osaka failed to serve out for the match in the ninth game as Korpatsch managed to force a tie-break. In the tie-break, Osaka missed out on two match points – then saved two set points – before realizing her third match.

“I was super nervous the whole time,” Osaka admitted afterward.

Now, Osaka is set to face a difficult opponent as she plays next against former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. When Osaka and Pliskova meet in the Brisbane second round, it will be their sixth meeting. In Brisbane, Osaka will be looking to beat Pliskova and tie their head-to-head to 3-3.