Naomi Osaka celebrated her 26th birthday on October 16, and on Sunday she penned a candid post to Instagram reflecting on her journey thus far.
In the post, the tennis star detailed doubts she has about being "a good mom" after giving birth to her daughter Shai in July.
She shared:
"Something I had to conquer recently is fighting the thought that I won't be a good mom. So many doubts raced through my head I had to swat them away like mosquitoes."
"Looking into Shai's eyes and holding her I always think, 'wow this little person depends on me so much, I have to do better'."
"It's such a strange feeling watching your kid grow, you blink and they're double the size in a few months."
Fans of the four-time Grand Slam champion wished her a happy birthday and assured her that experiencing doubt is a natural and frequently occurring piece of parenthood.
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
@naomiosaka/Instagram
Osaka finished her post with a note of gratitude.
"Gratefulness reminds me to breathe and take in the little things (and the big ones)."
"I'm so grateful to have another year and I'm so thankful to everyone that believes in me."
Happy birthday, Naomi. You're doing great!