Naomi Osaka hasn’t played any competitive tennis in 2023, but expect the four-time Grand Slam champion to make up for it next year. During a chat with ESPN at the US Open, Osaka hinted that she is planning to have a busy 2024 tennis season.
Osaka announced ahead of the 2023 Australian Open that she is taking a break from tennis due to pregnancy. The 25-year-old welcomed her first child, daughter Shai, with rapper Cordae in July.
While making an appearance on ESPN’s coverage of the 2023 US Open, Osaka was asked about her plans for next year. Osaka revealed that she not only intends to play in 2024 but will play a lot more tournaments compared to some previous years.
“It’s definitely way more tournaments than I used to play,” Osaka shared. “I think some people will be happy with that.”
According to Osaka, she wants to have a busy schedule to give herself more opportunity to return to form.
“At least I’m going to set myself up for a very good end of the year,” she added.
Osaka struggled in 2022, reaching the third round at the Australian Open before being eliminated in the first round at both the French Open and the US Open. She played her most recent match at the 2022 Pan Pacific Open last September, withdrawing from the tournament due to abdominal pain.
