Maintaining a stable form is crucial to every tennis star’s focus. The ability to face challenges on the the tennis court is determined by several factors and age stands to be one of them. Japanese tennis Naomi Osaka was away from the sport because of the arrival of her daughter Shai. Now she is looking for a powerful comeback at the Australian Open. However, concerns about her ability to cope with age have been waving among the tennis community.

While every other voice is about the anticipation of seeing Osaka hitting the courts again, Austrian former tennis star Barbara Schett recently exposed fans to a harsh reality that might affect the 26-year-old’s performance.

Former WTA star gives Naomi Osaka a reality check regarding her age

Naomi Osaka braced motherhood at the age of 26. In a recent interview, Barbara Schett mentioned that she believes that this young age gives Osaka a competitive advantage over stars like Caroline Wozniacki who is also making a comeback and is over 30. Pointing at this, Schett said, “let’s not forget the age difference – Wozniacki is over 30 and Naomi Osaka is in her mid-20s; that does make a big difference…even if you don’t give birth at that age (30+), you’re starting to get a little bit slower and things get harder.” She also Justified her statement with with a mention of Novak Djokovic.

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Echoing the words of the Serb, Schett added, “Novak Djokovic even said it: ‘I’m not as fast as I used to be, but I have to work it out in a different way to beat the opponents’.” As Barbara Schett exposed Naomi Osaka to a possible threat, she also pointed out certain positives to her current situation.

Osaka’s motherhood to help her career?

Schett stated, giving fans a hike with the expectations, “She (Naomi Osaka) has won Grand Slam titles, and I think she’s still young enough to have a second career. Also, her approach might be different now because she’s had a baby.” Along with mentioning words of faith in the Japanese star, Schett also expressed her excitement to see Osaka in a strong form.

“I think she still has a lot of tennis in her. I’ve seen a few videos of the way she was practicing; she’s looking fit,” the 47-year-old added. As the fans keep counting the days to see their favorite tennis star back, Schett’s verdict added even more anticipation to her return. While Naomi Osaka now has a need to balance both her personal and professional lives well, it still remains to be seen how long it takes for her to cope with it.

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