Tennis News: Curious case of the disappearance of Naomi Osaka

After the Miami Open title clash, where she lost to Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka's discontent and general unhappiness became more evident. She only finished two matches after Miami and then disappeared in September. 

The former number one, who has four Grand Slam titles, has stopped sharing tennis-related updates on social media since the US Open. 

Where is Naomi Osaka, and what is she up to?

Talks are circulating about Naomi Osaka's whereabouts and her current stance on tennis. Former Wimbledon finalist Zina Garrison said, "I haven't heard anything about Naomi since the Open."

"She literally went dormant." Tennis Channel and ESPN analyst Pam Shriver speculated that Naomi doesn't want to be under public scrutiny.

"Whether or not this is just a phase during which she's sorting out her mental health issues, or building a brand, or something different remains to be seen," she added. 

As of now, it is believed that Naomi Osaka's success has impaired her professional life. Her popularity complicated her life because she might not have been well-equipped to handle it. 

Between 2016-2018, Naomi Osaka converted from a newcomer to a tennis champion. In the US Open 2018, Naomi Osaka clinched a bittersweet straight-sets victory over local favourite Serena Williams, and the experience traumatised the then-20-year-old for most of the following season.

It reportedly affected Naomi Osaka's Australian Open victory in 2019, and the Japanese star immediately took a break with her coach, Sascha Bajin. She had limited success that year, and the subsequent pandemic robbed her of the chance to redeem herself. 

She was off the court for seven months and was forced to play matches bound by restrictive health protocols and breathe in tense air charged with social justice protests across the United States. 

Naomi Osaka actively protested against predatory policing. Despite winning the 2020 US Open and her fourth Grand Slam in Australia in 2021, she was hounded by the media. 

She avoided the media and cited her deteriorating mental health as the underlying issue. Her decision to be absent from post-match conferences at the French Open invited severe threats from officials.

Despite her inconsistency, she was chosen over other Japanese athletes to light the Olympic cauldron at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she lost to 41-ranked Marketa Vondrousova in round three. 

After her early US Open exit, Naomi Osaka admitted that tennis didn't make her "happy" before announcing a break from the game. She gradually slid down the rankings to number 85 and retired before or in five matches between 2021 and 2022.

How can Naomi Osaka rebuild herself?

Shriver believes that Naomi Osaka, currently ranked 42nd, much compete in more matches. However, considering how Naomi Osaka's entire tennis infrastructure has fallen apart, it'll be a task. 

She frequently switched coaches and was last mentored by her father. As of now, she could be exploring new identities. Garrison said, "My personal opinion is that Naomi is struggling to find out who she is, and she maybe knows who she wants to be."

She further thinks it is not uncommon for bi-racial individuals (Naomi Osaka's father is Haitian, her mother Japanese) sometimes to face an identity crisis.

Now, it is up to her to decide the course of her future. She could make a comeback renews her hope, and rekindles her love for tennis as the entire community waits for an answer. Only time will tell.