Naomi Osaka has arrived in Perth to represent her homeland at the 2026 United Cup and has recently shared her thoughts on the tournament, her shifted mindset and priorities, and her changed role as a tennis player. The elite WTA World No. 16 is coming off an impressive season during which she clocked 35 wins against 15 losses.
Naomi Osaka Reflects on Her Passion for Team Tournament and Her Transformation
Osaka joined the list of other WTA and ATP stars who had received a heartwarming welcome upon their arrival at Perth. At the airport, she was welcomed with a brown-coloured plush toy, an admirable gesture before her court actions.
She wrapped up her 2025 season with impressive performances given at the ASB Classic and the Canadian Open, where she reached the final rounds. She claimed the L’Open 35 de Saint-Malo title and reached the semifinal round at the US Open. She also performed notably at the Japan Women’s Open, reaching the quarterfinal round, but unfortunately had to retire due to the left thigh injury she sustained in the second round.
Now, Osaka is gearing up for her debut at the 2026 United Cup, along with the 2019 Junior Wimbledon champion, Shintaro Mochizuki, Nao Hibino, and Yasutaka Uchiyama.
During the Media Day in Perth, the 28-year-old shared her elation at playing the tournament, “I’ve always watched United Cup on the TV and I’ve wanted to play for a long time. It’s such a good team atmosphere, which I really enjoy. It’s nice to have the opportunity to come back to Perth, where I played the Hopman Cup.” (via United Cup)
The Chūō-ku, Osaka, native had played in the Hopman Cup in 2018, which was held at the Perth Arena in Perth, Western Australia, alongside ATP player Yūichi Sugita, facing elimination in the round-robin stages.
Considering her transformation, Osaka mentioned, “My mindset over my career has shifted a lot. If you knew me before, you would know that for me, I would take everything so seriously. I would say my losses and my wins defined how I viewed my worth as a person.”
Osaka, who is a mother to her 2-year-old daughter, Shai, continued, “Now I’m just taking it like every day is a new opportunity to do better. But at the same time, I know that my only role, or my biggest role, isn’t a tennis player. It’s to be a mom to my daughter.”
Mochizuki, whose inspiration has been the WTA star, also reflected, “A couple of days ago was the first time I spoke with her. I was very nervous. I saw her a couple times at a tournament, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to her… Hopefully I can get closer more and more. If I get to play doubles with her, it would be great. I just want to enjoy the time here in Perth with the whole team.”
In their first match, Team Japan will face Team Greece, headlined by Stefanos Tsitsipas, Maria Sakkari, Stefanos Sakellaridis, Despina Papamichail, and others.
