Tennis champion Naomi Osaka celebrated her Wimbledon win in the sweetest way on Wednesday, opting to draw attention to her daughter Shai’s second birthday on social media.
The 27-year-old won her match against Kateřina Siniaková in the tournament’s second round, in her first appearance at Wimbledon since 2019.
Shai’s big day
“Happy Shai day,” Naomi simply wrote on Instagram, alongside a video of the highlights from her match.
She later took to Threads to share a sweet message for her toddler, writing, “My big girl is 2 years old I can’t believe it!”
Naomi revealed that Shai was on her mind throughout the match, explaining in the post-game interview that she couldn’t wait to be with her.
© Getty Images“I was really trying to be focused. I was hoping to be back by 7.45 pm, so I don’t know why I’m doing these really long answers to your guys’ questions,” she quipped.
“I woke up on the morning of the match and kind of laid in bed with her, and I felt really grateful to be living the life that I’m living because I get to travel with her. It really is a blessing for me.”
Journey to motherhood
© GettyNaomi welcomed her daughter in July 2023 with her ex-boyfriend Cordae, months after withdrawing from the Australian Open.
“The past few years have been interesting, to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun,” she wrote via social media.
“I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, every day is a new blessing and adventure. I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘That’s my mom,’ haha.”
© InstagramSadly, the couple split in January 2025, with the Grand Slam winner announcing the news via Instagram.
“Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship,” she wrote. “No bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad.”
“Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing,” she added, concluding that she “was able to grow a lot from our experiences together.”
Superwoman
© InstagramJuggling being a single mother with an incredibly successful tennis career is no easy feat, and Naomi credited her “village” for allowing her to do it all.
“My career requires me to travel for most of the year, which makes it tough when I have to be away from my daughter so frequently, but I’ve got such a great support system around,” she told HELLO! “It takes a village, and I truly couldn’t do it without mine.”
She continued: “Motherhood has definitely given me a broader perspective on life. Kids require so much patience, and I’ve definitely learned to be more patient through my daughter. I have a great team around me, and they are there with me during the highs and lows.”
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