"Embarrassing": Naomi Osaka finds humor in her training mishap after comically missing a shot

Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka chuckled at her recent training mishap, where she humorously missed a shot.

The Japanese player has been on maternity leave since September last year. She is currently gearing up for her return and has been hitting the practice courts on a regular basis.

In a recent incident during her training, Osaka was left in splits after comically missing a routine backhand shot. She sportingly shared the clips with her fans on social media despite feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Embarrassing for real," Naomi Osaka said while sharing the clip on X.

In July of this year, Osaka and her rapper boyfriend, Cordae, welcomed their baby girl, 'Shai,' into the world. She has been openly documenting her journey and excitement about embracing motherhood.

The four-time Grand Slam champion was last seen competing at the 2022 Tokyo Open, where she reached the second round. She had a decent year before going on a break, amassing 14 wins from 23 matches and a runner-up finish at the Miami Open. The 25-year-old also reached the semifinals at the 2022 Melbourne Summer Set.

While pregnancy has kept her away from the tennis court, the former World No. 1 left no room for doubt regarding her commitment to make a comeback. She emphatically stated her determination to deliver her utmost effort and win trophies in the future in a recent interview with Japanese television.

"I really want to play again, when I found out I was pregnant, I said to myself, 'Okay, after that, I will definitely play better'. I am convinced that this baby will inspire me to try even harder and give my best," Osaka said.

During the interview, Osaka also expressed her desire to win a gold medal at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I want to win eight more Grand Slams and try to win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It's one of the goals that excites me the most about returning to sport," she added.

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Naomi Osaka wishes to participate in the 2024 United Cup: ASB Classic director Nicolas Lamperin

2022 US Open - Day 2: Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is set to make her much-awaited comeback in 2024.

However, she won't be participating in the 2024 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, in January. The tournament director, Nicolas Lamperin, confirmed that Osaka has chosen to compete in the second edition of the United Cup in Australia.

“It was part of my initial thoughts,” Lamperin said. “But I was being told she wanted to play the United Cup, on the basis that she would get a minimum of two matches."

Osaka is a two-time former champion at the Australian Open, having won the event in 2019 and 2021. It will be interesting to see if she chooses to compete at any of the build-up events before featuring in Melbourne.

The Japanese player has insisted time and again that she would like to start her comeback at the very start of the season and improve on her recent performances.

"I'm definitely going to perform well and be a better player than I have been last year," Naomi Osaka said in an interview earlier this year. "For me, my results just made me want to try harder and be the best that I can be."