With four Grand Slam majors and a bevy of endorsements to her name, Naomi Osaka is one of her generation’s most well-known tennis stars.
A perennial top-25 player, Osaka’s career has been shaped by her highs. She’s a proven commodity in tournament play, particularly in the final few rounds of major championships. She showcased her ruthlessness throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s, downing Serena Williams, Garbine Muguruza, Victoria Azarenka and Karolina Pliskova — all former World No. 1’s — en route to her respective crowns.
But Osaka’s life hasn’t been without its challenges, either. She’s long been considered one of the sports’ world’s most vulnerable figures, advocating for herself and others who have dealt with depression, anxiety and other mental disorders.
Here’s a look back at Osaka’s mental health journey.
Naomi Osaka mental health break, explained
Osaka’s first bout with depression came in 2018 during the US Open. She kept her challenges to herself for much of the next three years, claiming major titles in spite of her toils.
Osaka then pulled out of the 2021 French Open, five days after announcing she would be skipping post-match interviews to protect her mental health.
Osaka received an outpouring of support from fans and athletes alike, with Stephen Curry and Novak Djokovic praising the then-23-year old for her decision to step away. There were skeptics, too as Osaka said she felt “a great amount of pressure” to disclose her conditions to the public.
She returned to the court in the late summer of 2021 and proceeded to fall to Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the US Open’s third round. After her defeat, she announced that she intended to take an “indefinite break.”
“I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match,” Osaka said post-match.
Osaka started therapy later that year. By 2022, she was back on the court. During that year’s Indian Wells Open, a heckler unnerved her to the point of tears. The incident empowered Osaka to ramp up her pursuit of therapy and seek comfort in the unknown.
Life hasn’t been easy for Osaka in the years since she temporarily stepped away from tennis. She’s a mother now, giving birth to a daughter, Shai, in 2023. She went through a high-profile breakup and the wins haven’t been quite as plentiful as they were in her younger years.
Still, she feels she’s on the right path. Osaka meditates and journals. She’s also a prolific video game player.
Osaka returned to the WTA Tour in 2024 after giving birth to her daughter and expressed contentedness with where she was at in her life while speaking with reporters.
“I don’t know why, but today I just woke up very peaceful,” Osaka said, per Self. “I just feel like, no matter what happens on the court, nothing will change for me off the court. Like, my daughter will still love me. I have so many people around me… I hope that mentality stays and continues.”
Naomi Osaka majors history
Osaka is a four-time major champion. She claimed titles in the 2018 and 2020 US Opens and 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens.
Osaka hasn’t been quite as successful on clay and grass thus far, only making it as deep as the third round at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. But on hard courts, she’s deadly, especially in the later stages of the competition.
Naomi Osaka WTA ranking
Osaka’s WTA ranking has fluctuated over the years. She climbed to No. 1 in the world rankings in 2019. As of Sept. 4, 2025, Osaka is No. 24 in the WTA standings. Given her performance at the US Open, she will likely receive a big bump in the rankings soon.
