'I kind of have that itch again' - Naomi Osaka hints her return to tennis may be close following break from game
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Updated 26/09/2021 at 20:59 GMT
“You know, I’ve been playing tennis since I was 3 years old; for sure I love the sport, I know I’m going to play again. Probably soon, because I kind of have that itch again, but it wouldn’t really matter to me if I won or lost. I’d just have the joy of being back on the court, just to … know that I’m doing it for myself.”
Naomi Osaka
Image credit: Getty Images
Naomi Osaka expects to be back on a tennis court in the near future, as she says the itch to play has returned.
The Japanese superstar has had a turbulent year, as she withdrew from the French Open and did not play at Wimbledon as she battled with mental health issues.
Following her loss to Leylah Fernandez at the US Open, the 23-year-old revealed she would take an extended break from the game.
It was confirmed earlier this week that Osaka would not be in action at Indian Wells, which is one of the final big events of the 2021 season.
Osaka appeared on HBO’s The Shop and revealed that she would be back on court in the near future, but success does not appear to be a motivating factor for the four-time major champion.
“I want to feel like I’m playing for myself,” Osaka said. “And I started to feel like that power was being taken away from me in the way that I felt like I wasn’t playing to make myself happy and I was more concerned about like, if I won or lost, what would people say about me.
“And I just used to love the competition and just being competitive. If I were to play a long match, the longer it was, the more fun it was for me. And then I just started to feel, like recently, the longer it was, the more stressed out I became.
“But I just needed a break to go within myself and reclaim what was it that [provided motivation].
I’ve been playing tennis since I was three years old; for sure I love the sport, I know I’m going to play again.
"Probably soon, because I kind of have that itch again, but it wouldn’t really matter to me if I won or lost. I’d just have the joy of being back on the court, just to … know that I’m doing it for myself.
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