Before landing in Miami, Naomi Osaka reached the last 16 at Indian Wells, where she lost to top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6–2, 6–4. She then suffered a first-round exit at the Miami Open, losing in straight sets to qualifier Talia Gibson. It was not just any defeat, but one that severely affected the former world No. 1. In her post-match press conference in Miami, Osaka admitted that she would rather step away from the tour and spend time with her daughter, Shai, if she continued to lose in the early rounds of tournaments.

Retirement hints from the four-time Grand Slam champion sent shockwaves through the WTA Tour, and amid this, former world No. 7 Danielle Collins responded to Osaka’s statement.

“Well, we want to see Naomi on court, happy, enjoying her career. Obviously, she’s a mom. It’s not easy doing it all. We hear a lot in today’s world about everyone can do everything, and that’s just not true. We can’t always do everything at once, and sometimes we need to be able to find that balance. I can understand what she has to say, and I can see why she would maybe feel that way,” Collins said.

“But I just love watching her compete out on court. I think she’s so important to our sport. I love the fashion moments that she brings and her personality. Yeah, I want to see her back out there. I’d be really sad if she wraps this up, and this comes to an end. It would be really heartbreaking for me.” 

It is not difficult to understand the circumstances that led Osaka to be frustrated.

In July 2023, she gave birth to her daughter and made a comeback to the WTA Tour at the 2024 Brisbane International. The comeback began in fine style, as she had a good 2025 campaign, making the final of the Canadian Open and the semifinal of the US Open.

However, 2026 has unraveled quickly: a withdrawal in the third round of the Australian Open due to an abdominal injury, a fourth-round defeat at Indian Wells to Aryna Sabalenka, and a recent loss in Miami have all come one after another.

Striking a balance between motherhood and the never-ending demands of the WTA schedule was never going to be easy for Osaka, and her reaction at the press conference clearly showed that. 

Collins acknowledged the weight of it all without deflecting, but pushed back on the idea that Osaka’s words were a final verdict on her career.

“I think her having high expectations for herself is understandable, being the athlete that she is, being the figure that she is in women’s sports. But I just think maybe she needs to have a moment. She takes a little bit of pressure off herself and maybe takes a little break or something like that, and just rebounds, go on a little vacation, maybe to Greece or Italy. I think she’ll come back and she’ll have a much different feeling about all of this,” Collins added.

And who better than Collins to know what the 28-year-old might be going through? In January 2024, the American herself announced that she would retire at the end of the season, citing health issues such as endometriosis and her desire to start a family. Instead of retiring, however, she went on to win consecutive titles in Miami and Charleston, returning to the world’s top 10 before ultimately reversing her retirement decision entirely.

The American pro further talked about why the 16th seed could have felt those emotions and how she can deal with those. 

Danielle Collins feels Naomi Osaka simply needs to reset 

Collins suggested Osaka’s hint at retirement was not a choice, but a sign of someone overwhelmed with too much to handle at once. A similar view aligns with what Osaka has expressed in the past.

The 28-year-old had taken a mental health break in 2021, withdrawing from the French Open and later Wimbledon. She felt ashamed initially, but later admitted that regrouping made her comeback stronger. The American suggested that the current moment is in a similar light.

“I think she was just feeling overwhelmed that day, too. She has a lot on her plate. It’s not easy. The day-to-day that goes into all of this as a professional athlete, the pressure that you deal with yourself, the pressure that you put on yourself, and then balancing being a mom, it’s one of the hardest jobs in the world. Then on top of that, she’s being this amazing figure for women’s sports,” Collins said.

In a light moment, Collins even proposed going on a trip with her, alongside compatriot and fellow tennis player Taylor Townsend. Osaka and Townsend had gone on a trip together in November last year, which they called a “momcation.”

“It’s vacation time. It’s vacation time for Naomi. Girl, I’m here for it if you need somebody to come with,” she said with a laugh, before floating the idea of a trio with fellow player Taylor Townsend. “That could be quite the trio, the three of us. I could see that happening.”

The Japanese player has already confirmed her absence at Charleston and plans to make a comeback at the Madrid Open, with Rome and the French Open to follow. Clay is not her strongest suit; hopefully, she does not get discouraged if she faces any early exits in the tournaments.  

With Naomi Osaka, the question has never been about talent or motivation, but about finding equilibrium. And in that regard, Collins speaks from experience when she says the answer is not walking away, but simply finding the space to breathe.