Naomi Osaka is questioning her future in professional tennis after a disappointing first-round exit at the Miami Open, falling to Australian qualifier Talia Gibson 7-5, 6-4. The loss has prompted Osaka to consider whether continuing on tour is worth sacrificing time with her daughter, Shai.
Osaka, seeded 16th in Miami, appeared sluggish and committed numerous errors in the match against the 21-year-old Gibson, who advances to face Iva Jovic. The defeat raises concerns about Osaka’s form as she navigates the challenges of balancing motherhood with a demanding athletic career.
“I feel like this likewise is a dilemma for me,” Osaka told reporters, reflecting on the difficulties of balancing her professional ambitions with her role as a mother. “Obviously, I would love to play, but like I said last year … for me, my daughter is very important, and I want to be a mom. I want to be the best mom I can, but sometimes I feel like I know what I have to do to turn into a really great player, and it’s very difficult.”
Osaka confirmed she will not participate in Charleston and hopes to compete in Madrid, Rome, and the French Open, but remains uncertain about her long-term commitment. “For me, like I said last year, I’m not going to stay on tour if I’m losing in the first round,” she added. “I’d rather just be a great mom and be there for my daughter. Because for me, I want to win titles and I want to be the best player I can, but if I have to sacrifice having a lot of time with my daughter, I’d rather not do it.”
Gibson, meanwhile, continued her impressive run of form, having already defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova, Clara Tauson, and Jasmine Paolini at Indian Wells to claim three top-20 scalps in the past three weeks. “I was able to draw on some experiences from Indian Wells to stay calm,” Gibson said. “It’s been really cool to observe what I am capable of, and it’s really exciting for me.”
Osaka’s return to competition since giving birth to her daughter, Shai, in 2024 has been marked by inconsistency and injury setbacks. While she showed promising form at the complete of last year, reaching the US Open semi-finals and the Canada Open final in Montreal, she was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open due to a recurrence of a chronic abdominal injury, which she attributes to her pregnancy.
Adding to her challenges, Osaka revealed she has been battling a back injury over the past week, jokingly attributing it to “getting old out here.”
The Miami Open also saw the elimination of all three remaining British players. Cameron Norrie lost a tight three-set match to 21-year-old Alex Michelsen 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, while Katie Boulter fell in a hard-fought battle against Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5. Fran Jones retired from her match against Jessica Pegula while trailing 6-1, 3-0 due to a chest infection.
Jones, currently ranked as Britain’s No. 4, has faced a difficult season, previously retiring from the Australian Open due to a hip injury. She stated, “I’ve been struggling with an infection the whole week… You can probably tell my voice is a bit congested and everything.” She also acknowledged Pegula’s dominance, stating she is “in my opinion, [one of] the top three players in the world.”
Elsewhere in Miami, Jannik Sinner continued his strong form, defeating Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3, as he aims to complete the “Sunshine Double” after winning the Indian Wells title last week.
