Naomi Osaka Candidly Opens Up About 'Extremely Bad' Postpartum Depression Following the Birth of Her Daughter Shai (Exclusive)

Naomi Osaka is opening up astir her acquisition pinch postpartum depression.

In an exclusive clip shared pinch PEOPLE up of nan merchandise of Naomi Osaka: The Second Set, nan tennis star, 27, opened up astir her acquisition pinch postpartum depression. Osaka, who welcomed her daughter, Shai, successful July 2023 pinch ex-boyfriend Cordae, revealed that she had an "extremely bad" clip pursuing nan commencement of her daughter.

"Honestly, I besides had highly bad postpartum, and I didn't cognize really to woody pinch it that well," she said successful nan documentary.

The proud mom past shared thing that she wrote detailing her experience. "I for illustration to constitute things, but besides I don't for illustration to opportunity things retired large because I'm an affectional personification and sometimes it'll make maine cry," she explained.

"Prior to giving birth, a bunch of different group had told maine astir postpartum. But truthfully, I had thought that since I was truthful alert of it, I could someway debar nan symptoms altogether," Osaka continued successful nan documentary.

"In nary world would I ever want my girl to deliberation that her commencement is thing little than nan biggest gift I person ever received. But during those early months, I felt for illustration a ammunition of myself astatine each moments of nan day," she added. "I nary longer knew who I was anymore. It felt for illustration everyone other had moved connected and they were surviving successful color. Meanwhile, my world was stuck successful gray."

The four-time Grand Slam champion precocious opened up to PEOPLE astatine Tubi's backstage screening of The Second Set successful New York City connected Tuesday, Aug. 19. She talked astir nan unexpected, motivated mindset she had aft her first-time gestation that changed her position connected nan athletics she's played since she was 3 years old.

"I was 1 of those group that thought erstwhile I had a kid I would extremity playing tennis," Osaka told PEOPLE exclusively.

Rather than discontinue for illustration she initially had successful mind upon welcoming her girl into nan world, Osaka had different plans — and enhanced goals — successful mind. "While I was pregnant, I was benignant of very inspired," she shared.

"I besides wanted my girl to beryllium capable to spot maine play tennis. It was specified a large portion of my life and I consciousness for illustration she doesn't cognize it, but she decidedly inspired maine to continue," Osaka continued.

One week aft she went into labor, Osaka returned to training. Despite nan chatter and negativity that surrounded her determination to jump backmost into nan intelligence and beingness strength that comes pinch preparing her assemblage to execute astatine nan apical level, she was determined.

"I consciousness for illustration successful nan backmost of my head, I was a small stressed, of course, because I really desperately wanted to play and I felt for illustration I had to do immoderate it took," she recalled. "And that's benignant of my, I guess, stubbornness."

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"But besides I've been training since I was a really young kid, truthful it didn't consciousness that utmost to me," Osaka, who is group to compete astatine nan 2025 US Open successful N.Y.C. astatine nan extremity of August, said. "I consciousness for illustration I'm going to look backmost connected it and deliberation it's a small crazy — but successful that moment, it didn't look arsenic chaotic arsenic it does now."

The Second Set pulls nan curtain backmost connected nan affectional toll her separation from Shai took connected nan caller mom, but besides highlighted nan coagulated support strategy — her ain mom, Tamaki Osaka, included — that she has astir her.

"Just seeing her makes my time brighter," Osaka said of Shai, adding, "She's conscionable specified a affirmative power successful my life."

Naomi Osaka: The Second Set debuts Sunday, Aug. 24 connected Tubi.