"It's either I have to be the best or I'm going to be homeless": Naomi Osaka opens on all or nothing mindset behind tennis career

Naomi Osaka spoke in her new biography about her humble origins and the pursuit of becoming the best in tennis.

The biographical book of the former world No. 1 addresses the story of her parents in Osaka and their journey to the United States with her and her sister, hoping to find a future in tennis, much like the Williams sisters Venus and Serena, with the assistance of some coaches who offered free lessons due to their financial difficulties.

"Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice" is written by journalist Ben Rothenberg that delves into the story of Naomi Osaka and the decisions that led her to become a professional and reach the top of the WTA Rankings, in addition to winning four Grand Slam titles at just 23 years old.

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The details were shared by the Daily Mail, which had exclusive access to the book and provided some previews of the book set to be published in January 2024, including Osaka's testimony about her childhood and rise in tennis.

“My parents weren't exactly the richest, so what am I going to do? I'm not really the smartest. It's either I have to be the best or I'm going to be homeless,' Rothenberg wrote quoting Osaka.

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4-times Grand Slam champion has been away from the courts for 14 months since her participation in the Tokyo Open in September 2022 (walkover in the second round). During this time, Osaka gave birth to her first daughter, Shai, but she is preparing for her comeback at the beginning of the upcoming season with high ambitions:

"I want to win eight more Grand Slams and try to win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It's one of the goals that excites me the most about returning to sport. I took a break, but I always feel very competitive and full of desire to win the most important tournaments in my sport again," Osaka said [via tennisworIdusa.com.

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