Naomi Osaka has welcomed a baby girl with rapper boyfriend Cordae.
The 25-year-old tennis star welcomed her first child in Los
Angeles, People reported on Tuesday 11 July. “They are doing well,” a source
told the outlet.
The couple, who have been dating since 2019, announced they
were expecting their first child together in January. “Can’t wait to get back
on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023,” Osaka captioned an
Instagram post, which featured a photo of the baby’s ultrasound.
In June, the four-time grand slam champion revealed on
Instagram that she was expecting a baby girl. Osaka shared several photos from
the princess-themed baby shower, which included a large sign with the words: “A
Little Princess Is on the Way”
Another photo showed the “Doomsday” rapper kissing Osaka’s
growing baby bump. The pro athlete simply captioned the post with a purple and
white heart emoji.
Although Naomi Osaka is currently focused on being a mother,
the former world number one tennis player still plans on returning to the court
in 2024, after she had withdrawn from the Australian Open earlier this year.
“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 in her pregnancy announcement.
“These few months away from the sport has really given me a
new love and appreciation or the game I’ve dedicated my life to,” Osaka
continued. “I realise that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for
granted, everyday 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’.”
“2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me and I
hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one ‘cause I’ll be at Aus
2024,” she added, confirming her return to the 2024 Australian Open. “Love you
all infinitely.”
While the couple have not yet revealed the name of their
newborn baby, Osaka previously hinted at some of her baby name choices. “We
have been discussing names. I would say that we are going for something more
unique than traditional,” she told People earlier this year.
Throughout her pregnancy, the Japanese tennis player
admitted that she was gearing up to become the “best version” of herself for
her daughter.
“I would say for me, I just want to be the best version of
myself,” Osaka said. “Obviously, I’ve never been a mother before so I’m taking
it day-by-day and just trying to be someone that my son or daughter will be
proud of.”