My 2025 Season ‘Sucks’—But I’m Not Giving Up After Missing My Chance to Win My First Title as a Mom!

Naomi Osaka Opens Up About the Frustrating Reality of Her 2025 Season: ‘It Sucks, But I’ll Bounce Back’

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Naomi Osaka has revealed that the most difficult part of her 2025 season is the lingering feeling that she could have made a deep run at the Australian Open. Instead of starting her year on a high note, the four-time Grand Slam champion found herself sidelined by injury, forced to rebuild her momentum from scratch.

On Wednesday, Osaka returned to the court for her first match since retiring against Belinda Bencic in the third round of the Australian Open. The Indian Wells organizers scheduled her first-round match in prime time, but the former world No. 1 struggled to find her rhythm. Plagued by over 50 unforced errors, Osaka fell to world No. 53 Camila Osorio in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Earlier in the year, Osaka had shown flashes of her former brilliance. She reached the final in Auckland during the first week of 2025, even taking a set lead against Clara Tauson, before an abdominal injury forced her to retire. At the Australian Open, she started strong with impressive wins over Caroline Garcia and Karolina Muchova, only to withdraw injured against Bencic.

Reflecting on the challenges of her season so far, Osaka didn’t hold back. “The hardest thing is feeling like I could have done really well at the Australian Open, and then having to go back to the grind of practicing and trying to get stronger for tournaments like this one—only to not perform well here. It sucks, but I’m kind of used to it from last year,” the 27-year-old explained.

“Looking back at last year, I feel okay right now because I know this is just a little bump in the road. I’ll be back in Miami, and hopefully, I’ll have more serve practice under my belt and be ready to go,” she added.

Osaka’s season has been marked by tough moments, with the most heartbreaking being her retirement in the Auckland final while leading by a set. After that match, the Japanese star was visibly emotional, devastated by the missed opportunity to win her first title since becoming a mother.

Despite the setbacks, Osaka remains determined to regain her form and prove that she can still compete at the highest level. “It’s frustrating, but I know I’ll bounce back,” she said. “I’ve been through this before, and I’m ready to fight my way through it again.”

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Osaka to see if she can turn her struggles into success and reclaim her place among the tennis elite.