"The worst pain." The victor of four Grand Slam tournaments shared her childbirth experience

The former world No. 1 and winner of four Grand Slam tournaments, Naomi Osaka, shared the challenges of her childbirth experience.

On the day her water broke, Osaka hurried to the hospital. Concerned about an infection in her system, doctors promptly connected her to an antibiotic IV. After 12 hours, her cervix had only dilated by one centimeter. The doctor prescribed Pitocin, a medication that induces uterine contractions. Osaka had an adverse reaction, experiencing nausea.

As hours passed, Osaka endeavored to breathe and focus on the birth of her daughter, telling herself, "Whatever happens, will happen. It's not something I can control." Despite reading numerous books on parenting and childbirth and attending prenatal classes, none fully prepared her.

At a certain point during contractions, doctors informed Osaka that she needed to quickly deliver her baby. "I remember feeling at that moment, 'This is the most excruciating pain of my life,'" says Osaka. "And I know that if I get through this, everything else will be very easy." Later, Osaka learned that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her daughter's neck.

Osaka gave birth to a healthy baby girl in early July. She and her 26-year-old rapper boyfriend, Cordae, named their little one Shai, which translates from Hebrew to "gift." Osaka reflects, "There was a huge period of adaptation at first. Life changed in one day. From the moment you come home from the hospital, everything changes."

It's worth noting that Naomi has not participated in the WTA tour since 2022. Her return is scheduled for Brisbane early next year.