Naomi Osaka is far from the player she once was, but that doesn’t mean she should be criticized for her efforts, far from it.
Osaka hasn’t been able to find any real consistency for some time, most recently losing her opening match at the Miami Open.
And despite her fair share of injury issues, the 28-year-old has managed to return to the top 15 of the WTA rankings.
Whether or not she can climb any higher remains to be seen, but one certainty is that she has already earned the right to do as she pleases after dropping a major retirement hint.
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Naomi Osaka has earned the right to do as she pleases
Speaking in Miami, she admitted: “For me, like I said last year, I’m not going to stay on tour if I’m losing in the first round.
“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.”
It was quite the admission from Osaka, who would, of course, be massively missed should she decide to step away from tennis.
But nobody could question her decision given what she achieved in her prime, with the Japan star boasting more success than most of her current rivals.
She has won four Grand Slam titles, emerging victorious in all four of her Grand Slam final appearances to date.
Osaka is a seven-time WTA champion overall, and hugely significantly once climbed all the way to world number one, and should be allowed to decide her next steps free from any judgment.
| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 2018 | US Open | Hard | Serena Williams | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 2019 | Australian Open | Hard | Petra Kvitova | 7–6(7–2), 5–7, 6–4 |
| Win | 2020 | US Open | Hard | Victoria Azarenka | 1–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 2021 | Australian Open | Hard | Jennifer Brady | 6–4, 6–3 |
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Even with her latest fitness woes, Osaka does still have a positive 5-3 win-loss record to her name in the 2026 season.
That is improved to 327-184 for her entire career, with her efforts on the court earning her over $25million in prize money.
It’s definitely not been easy for Osaka in more recent times, but it is, of course, important to remember that she has come back from having a baby, a hugely impressive feat that many of her rivals have also achieved.
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Returning to her success of old does seem unlikely right now, but nothing should be ruled out right now, particularly if she can stay consistently fit.
Rising the rankings has never been a problem for Osaka, although she is clearly prioritising further titles at this stage of her career.
| Top rank by year | Year-end ranking | |
| 14 | 2026 | – |
| 14 | 2025 | 16 |
| 56 | 2024 | 59 |
| 42 | 2023 | – |
| 13 | 2022 | 42 |
| 2 | 2021 | 13 |
| 3 | 2020 | 3 |
| 1 | 2019 | 3 |
| 4 | 2018 | 5 |
| 44 | 2017 | 68 |
| 40 | 2016 | 40 |
| 143 | 2015 | 203 |
| 238 | 2014 | 250 |
| 403 | 2013 | 430 |
| 1016 | 2012 | 1028 |
That won’t be easy, particularly with the presence of many world-class players in women’s tennis, but she does have the advantage of experience, having done it all before.
Her ability to beat the very best is evident through her Grand Slam titles, with Serena Williams and Petra Kvitova among the players she beat in major finals.
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