Naomi Osaka implies some fantastic long-term news for tennis fans

Naomi Osaka has had quite the year. She has played in 14 tournaments and in five of them, she lost her first match. Yet, she has also flashed the kind of form that allowed her to win a total of four Grand Slams earlier in her career. While she lost in the second round of the French Open, she played one of the best matches anyone has over the last five years against Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros.

While Osaka seems to have been around the WTA tour for decades and even took a year-long break from playing, she is only 26 years old. She could keep playing for many years should she choose to. That is the key because Osaka doesn't do anything that she doesn't want to.

The more she plays, the better she should be as well. She might never win a major again - but she should not be counted out of doing so - but she could win more titles overall. After taking such a long break and after giving birth, Osaka's return to form could take more than a year. The positive part for tennis fans is that she does not plan to stop playing again anytime soon.

Naomi Osaka implies she will still be playing in 2028

Osaka answered questions about her recent play and gave a little insight into her future in a press conference ahead of the Canadian Open. She admitted that her appearance in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics made her uncomfortable, but the Paris Games were much more enjoyable. Her regret was that she did not stay in the Olympic Village.

That might change in 2028, though. Osaka lives in Los Angeles and that is where the Games will be held in four years. The biggest takeaway isn't that Osaka plans to stay in the Village in 2028, but that she plans to still be playing. Osaka told the press, "I didn't stay in the village, so that is something that I regret a little bit not to have the full experience. Overall, I think it was it was fun. Hopefully, I can play in LA."

This means tennis fans won't have to be prepared for the end of her career (again). Osaka will be just 30 years old in 2028 so still young enough to potentially make a run at a title in LA. Hopefully, by then, she will be a constant threat of being a top ten player on the WTA tour again.

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