Naomi Osaka Seemingly Hints At Split From Cordae

A tweet from tennis star Naomi Osaka has fans speculating that she may have broken up with rapper Cordae. "I just want someone that will watch the sunset with me," Osaka wrote on social media while also removing any trace of her child's father from her online presence. It's not the first time that Osaka has hinted at a breakup. On September 27, she wrote "the art of loving yourself" while also liking a post about "walking away from those who don't value you". For Cordae's part, he did not acknowledge Osaka's birthday this week and appeared absent from her celebrations.

The couple has been together since July 2019, when Cordae officially confirmed rumors that had been circulating since April. The pair weathered Osaka's decline from the highest echelon of pro tennis as she suffered injuries and chose to step back to focus on her mental health. The couple welcomed a daughter, Shai, this past July.

Osaka Eyes Australian Open Return

Osaka has not played tennis since September 2022, stepping away from the sport in January 2023 before later announcing her pregnancy. However, she doesn't intend to leave tennis behind. Speaking at the US Open, she confirmed that she will return to the sport next year. "It's definitely way more tournaments than I used to play. So I think some people will be happy with that. I think it's because I realized that I don't know how the beginning of the year is going to go for me. I don't know the level of play and I think I have to ease into it. So at the very least, I'll set myself up for a very good end of the year," Osaka said.

2024 is, of course, something of a unique year. The WTA calendar will feature the Olympic tournament in July, something that only happens every four years. At her home games in Tokyo three years ago, the second-seeded Osaka suffered a shock third-round defeat to eventual silver medalist Markéta Šimková (nee Vondroušová). It's unlikely that Osaka will take one of the 56 spots distributed based on WTA rankings, unless her comeback is especially successful. However, she could potentially take one of the places reserved for previous gold medalists and Grand Slam champions.

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