Osaka ‘not far off’ her best but often ponders future

Naomi Osaka says she believes she is close to the level that brought her four Grand Slam titles, and is working to rediscover the instincts that helped her win them. As she prepares to play in Tokyo, she has also spoken about how often she thinks about her future in tennis and says she would consider quitting if her daughter wanted her to travel less.

Osaka, 29, won the US Open and Australian Open twice between 2018 and 2021, then stepped away from tennis for her mental health and later took time off during pregnancy. Since returning in 2023, she has climbed to 19th in the world and reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, the last 16 at the French and US Opens, and the Washington semi-finals. She is seeded seventh at the Pan Pacific Open and faces Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the first round.