Naomi Osaka announces she is expecting her first child

Four times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka said on Wednesday that she is expecting her first child, days after withdrawing from the Australian Open.

Four times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka said on Wednesday that she is expecting her first child, days after withdrawing from the Australian Open. The 25-year-old said this week that she was pulling out of the year's first Grand Slam after not competing on the WTA Tour since the Pan Pacific Open in September.

Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns the ball against Sara Sorribes Tormo, of Spain, during their match at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament (AP)

"Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023," the former world number one, who represents Japan, said in a Twitter post, accompanied with a photo of a sonogram image.

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I'm looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, 'that's my mom.'"

The announcement landed amid speculation that Osaka, who is one of the highest-earning women athletes, according to Forbes, may have been scaling back on her professional playing career, after she initially declined to elaborate on her withdrawal from the Melbourne Grand Slam, where she has won the title twice.

But she said on Wednesday that she would return to competition and expected to be at the Australian Open in 2024.

"2023 will be a year that'll be full of lessons for me and I hope I'll see you guys in the start of the next one," said Osaka, who has also won the U.S. Open twice.