NAOMI OSAKA dropped a stunning retirement hint by admitting: “I would rather be a great mum.”
The former world No1, 28, won her four Grand Slam finals between 2018 and 2021.
But she took a pause away from tennis to welcome her baby daughter Shai in July 2023.
Osaka, who revealed she struggled with postpartum depression, returned to the WTA Tour for the 2024 season and reached the semi-finals of last year’s US Open.
Now ranked No15 in the world, she reached the last 16 at Indian Wells earlier in March, losing to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka.
But the 16th seed fell at her first hurdle to Australian Talia Gibson at the Miami Open after a bye into round two.
She struggles to find any form or rhythm in Saturday’s 7-5 6-4 defeat.
And ahead of a truncated clay-court swing, the Japanese star admitted she faces a major “dilemma” over her future if she struggles to pick up consistent wins.
Osaka – who withdrew from the Australian Open due to a chronic abdominal injury linked to her pregnancy – said: “I feel like this also is a dilemma for me.
“Obviously, I would love to play, but like I said last year… for me, my daughter is very important.
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“I want to be a mum. I want to be the best mum I can.
“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 mum 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.
“But sometimes I feel like I know what I have to do to become a really good player, and it’s very difficult.
“I’m not going to play Charleston. I hope I can play Madrid, Rome and then obviously the French Open.”
Osaka went out in round two alongside British trio Cameron Norrie, Katie Boulter and Fran Jones.
Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, was stunned in round three by Sebastian Korda.
