11 January 2023 , 18:06
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Tennis star Naomi Osaka has revealed why she is absent from this month's Australian Open, telling fans that she is pregnant. Heading into next week's Grand Slam, Osaka was a glaring omission from the tournament's entry list.
Amid her absence speculation began to grow, but now Osaka has put that to rest following her pregnancy announcement. The Japanese star confirmed the exciting news via a post to her 1.1million followers on Twitter.
Within the post, the 25-year-old shared a photo of her scan along with a lengthy statement, where she revealed she would be back competing in Australia in 2024.
The Japanese star wrote: "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. These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I've dedicated my life to.
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"I realise that life is so short and I don't take any moment 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 my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom' haha.
"2023 will be a year that's full of lessons for me and I hope to see you guys at the start of the next one because I'll be at Aus 2024. Love you all infinitely. Sidenote: I don't think there's a perfectly correct path to take in life but I always felt if you move forward with good intentions you'll find your way eventually."
Naomi Osaka is eyeing a return to Melbourne in 2024 (Getty Images)Osaka's announcement comes having not featured on the WTA Tour since September at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, where she was forced to retire just five minutes into her clash. Her absence will no doubt be hard felt in Melbourne this month.
As a result the Japanese national has enjoyed plenty of success down under, having won the Australian Open twice. Her first victory came when defeating Czech star Petra Kvitová in the 2019 final, before adding a second two years later after beating American Jennifer Brady.