Tennis star Naomi Osaka announces her pregnancy

Naomi Osaka talks about her relationship with the media 0:30

(CNN) --

Tennis star Naomi Osaka announced her pregnancy Wednesday, posting a photo of an ultrasound on her social media accounts.

"The last few years have been interesting to say the least, but I think the hardest times in life are the most fun," the four-time majors champion captioned the photo.

"These months away from the sport have given me a new love and appreciation for the game to which I have dedicated my life."

Osaka said she plans to return to tennis in 2024 for the Australian Open, a tournament she has won twice before.

Naomi Osaka will be taking a break from tennis.

Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

"I know I have a lot ahead of me in the future," he added.

"One thing that makes me very excited is that my son sees one of my games and says to someone: 'that's my mother'."

The 25-year-old's withdrawal from the upcoming Australian Open was announced by competition organizers on Sunday.

advertising

Osaka has not played since the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September last year.

She took time away from competitive tennis and made several highly publicized revelations about her struggles with mental health following an incident in August 2021 where she was visibly stressed and shaken while addressing the media during a mandatory press conference at Roland. Garros.

• Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka and mental health in sport: why it's important to talk about it the way they did, what's missing and some expert advice

Osaka subsequently withdrew from the French Open that year, revealing that she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first major championship in 2018.

"I don't believe there is a perfectly correct path to take in life, but I always felt that if you move forward with good intentions, you will eventually find your way," Osaka added in her statement on Wednesday.

-- CNN's Hilary Whiteman contributed to this report.

Naomi Osaka