Osaka figuring out how best to balance tennis schedule with motherhood after Miami exit

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osaka-naomi/MDM4BKiA/"]Osaka[/a] returned ‌to the tour in 2024 after a 15-month ‌break following the birth of her daughter and ‌reached the US Open semi-finals last year. She withdrew ahead of her scheduled third-round match at the ‌Australian Open in January due to ⁠an abdominal injury.[/p][p]The ‌four-time Grand Slam champion lost to world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]​Aryna Sabalenka[/a] in the Indian Wells pre-quarter-finals this month, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gibson-t-8GwNXON6/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/?mid=OG1zbbL6"]another early exit ​in Miami[/a].[/p][p]Asked about her plans for the clay season, Osaka said she is weighing the ⁠demands of the ​tour with the time she wants to spend at home.[/p][p][b]"I feel like this also is a dilemma for me,"[/b] Osaka told reporters.[/p][p]"For me, my ‌daughter is very important, and I want to be a mom. I want to be the best mom I can, but sometimes I feel like I know what I have to do to become a really good player, and it's very difficult.[/p][embed guid="2e977c0a-00af-49f1-81f4-c44a477fd594" url="https://x.com/TheTennisLetter/status/2012100271514517998" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"Because for me, I want to win titles and I want to ‌be the best player I can, but ​if I have to sacrifice having a lot ‌of time with my daughter, I’d rather not do it.[/b][/p][p]"I'm not going to play Charleston. I hope I can play Madrid, Rome and then, obviously, the French Open."[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gibson-talia/8GwNXON6/"]Gibson[/a], ⁠21, will play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jovic-iva/bmWvBlnL/"]⁠Iva Jovic[/a] in the ‌[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gibson-t-8GwNXON6/jovic-i-bmWvBlnL/?mid=6akA8vLj"]next round on Sunday[/a].[/p]