Osaka’s honest take on balancing motherhood and tennis

PERTH, Australia — Before Japan’s press conference at the first United Cup media day in Perth, Naomi Osaka noticed Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic with her 1-year-old daughter on the court.

“I thought it was really, really cute, and it also made me think of my daughter,” Osaka said.

This offseason, Osaka prioritized spending time with her daughter, Shai.

After a 2025 season that saw Osaka rise from 57th to 16th in the PIF WTA rankings, the four-time Grand Slam champion has learned more about balancing off-season training and her role as a mother.

“It’s really, really hard,” Osaka said of finding that balance. “This offseason has been pretty tough for me too because we’re trying to be there for her all the time. Obviously, there are times when you have to practice or do something. Hopefully I’m managing or juggling well.”

Since giving birth in July 2023, Osaka has opened up about how being a parent has changed her mentality on the court. Previously, she said she was quite hard on herself, often defining herself by victories and defeats, but she eventually came to understand the broader perspective that helped her change her thinking in a positive way.

“It evolved my career by changing my mindset a lot,” Osaka said. “If you knew me before, I would take everything very seriously. I just take it like every day is a new opportunity to do better. At the same time, I know that my biggest role is not playing tennis, it’s being a mom to my daughter. I’m really happy that I was able to learn that and I can’t wait to see what more I can do.”

Playing in Group E with Greece and Great Britain, Osaka will face Maria Sakkari on January 2 and Emma Raducanu on January 4 in her first two singles matches of the 2026 season.

Sakkari’s new start in 2026

This time last year, Maria Sakkari was competing in the United Cup after an offseason filled with rehabilitation following a shoulder injury that cut short her 2024 season. In May 2025, her ranking fell to 92nd after starting the year ranked 31st at the Australian Open. Frankly, Sakkari felt the season was difficult.

Still, the 30-year-old worked her way just outside the top 50 and entered the offseason much healthier than the year before.

“It was a very, very difficult season last year. I’m not going to lie,” Sakkari said. “It wasn’t easy to deal with, but at the same time I feel like I learned a lot. I just had some time to recover and think about the things I want to improve for this season.

“I had five weeks of very good training and I had time to work a lot and think about the things I want to work on. It went very well, but the results will show how good a job we did. [in]”.

Sakkari said she is confident she can get back to where she once was: the Greek reached a career-high third in 2022. She is set to face two Grand Slam champions in Osaka and Raducanu to start her 2026 season. Although they hold a 3-2 advantage over Osaka, they have not faced each other since 2021, while Sakkari is fighting for her first career victory against Raducanu.

“These are very, very difficult matches. Two very different players,” Sakkari said. “Naomi is an ultra-aggressive player. She played the second half of last year’s season very well. Emma, ​​I have a negative record against her obviously, I’m aware of that, but she’s a solid player. Both are very difficult to play against.

“Like I said, I’ve been working on some things. I’m going to try to deliver them on the field and see how it goes.”

Sierra and Bouzas Maneiro reflect on the strides of 2025

Argentina’s Solana Sierra and Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro will face world number 3 Coco Gauff for the first time when their respective countries meet in Group A in Perth. This is a daunting but opportunistic task for both players who have made great strides during the 2025 season.

Bouzas Maneiro enters Perth ranked 41st in career rankings. The Spaniard had a successful summer where she reached the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open in Montreal and the round of 16 at Wimbledon and Cincinnati.

“I think I believe in myself more,” Bouzas Maneiro said. “I believe I can win more matches against other players and against the best players in the world. That was the main point for me last year.”

Bouzas Maneiro said she hopes to progress further in tournaments more consistently and continue to compete with the best in the world. She will open her third United Cup campaign against Sierra on Friday, before facing Gauff.

“[I’ll] playing against two extraordinary players,” said Bouzas Maneiro.[I’ve known] Solana for years, we’ve trained a lot together so I know it’s going to be a tough match. Of course, we will be ready for it. Coco is one of the best players in the world. I’m really excited to play against her and see where my level is.”

Sierra’s 2025 campaign saw the 21-year-old go from outside the top 150 to 66th, catapulted by a round of 16 finish at Wimbledon, where she was the first lucky loser to do so. She also won a WTA 125 title in Mallorca, Spain, and a WTT 75 title in Bellinzona, Switzerland, propelling her to Argentina’s No. 1 title.

“I think it was a great year for me,” said Sierra, who is making her United Cup debut. “I got a lot of good results that I wanted. I’m really excited to start the year here. I think it’s really good preparation.”

After the United Cup and the WTA 250 in Hobart, Sierra will make her debut in the main draw of the Australian Open. She has competed in the qualifiers for the past two years, but lost both of her qualifiers in the first round.

“It is [my] first time playing in the main draw, first experience for me, completely new. But yes, super happy. I will do my best in every tournament. »

A rare but pleasant format

The United Cup offers players a unique way to start their season with a team competition, where a loss in singles or mixed doubles will not necessarily eliminate them from the competition.

“We have been playing for four years since the event started,” said Sakkari, who has participated in all editions of the United Cup. “It looks like we’re loving it. This is our third time in Perth, and we really love playing here of course. We love the team spirit because we rarely get it during the year.”

Osaka has watched the United Cup on television in recent years and said she always wanted to play there. She was originally scheduled to compete at the ASB Classic in Auckland this week, but withdrew to represent Japan in the country’s debut at the event.

“I think for me it’s just such a good team atmosphere. I always kind of watched the United Cup on TV,” Osaka said. “I’ve wanted to play for a long time.

“That’s another great thing about playing in the United Cup, being able to play against the best players in the world from the start, which I think is a privilege. I really enjoy matches like that.”