New coach and mum's cooking help Osaka bring back the fun

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Highlights: Osaka stuns Sabalenka to reach Wimbledon quarter-finals By Amy Lofthouse BBC Sport Senior Journalist at Wimbledon Published 5 hours ago Just two years ago, Naomi Osaka was struggling to understand why a sport that was "as simple as breathing to me" was leaving her bereft. Struggling after her return from maternity leave in July 2023, Osaka said she did not "feel like I'm in my body". "It's a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn't miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to," she wrote in August 2024. "I try to tell myself, 'It's fine you're doing great'. Mentally, it's really draining." But on Centre Court on Sunday afternoon, Osaka found herself having more fun than she had in a long time. Japan's Osaka produced a stunning performance to knock world number one Aryna Sabalenka out of Wimbledon and reach the quarter-finals. It was a display that two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin described as "the best we've seen Naomi Osaka since she came back". Asked afterwards what had changed for her, Osaka mentioned her coaching team and her mindset - as well as her mum's cooking. Osaka said: "My mum is over there, she cooks a lot and I feel like her cooking is powering me so I would really appreciate another meal tonight! "She cooks a bunch of Japanese food, so shout out to Japanese food. "It has been a long time since I've had so much fun on the court, so to do it here means a lot." Djokovic breaks Federer's Wimbledon record to reach quarters Published 5 hours ago Williams is 'Ronaldinho-like' - but can she win Grand Slam matches? Published 17 hours ago By the time she was 23, Osaka had won two Australian Open and two US Open titles and had been at the top of the world rankings. She also spoken openly about the pressure that comes with playing tennis. Osaka struggled with bouts of depression after winning her first major in 2018. After briefly stepping away from tennis in 2021 to prioritise her mental health, Osaka took 15 months of maternity leave with daughter Shai. In her absence, Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff - among others - won major titles and formed rivalries. Osaka struggled to fit in on her return. But a 6-2 6-1 loss to Swiatek in Rome sparked a change. "I felt like I just shut everyone out [after the loss]. I just got on a plane back home," Osaka said. "I didn't talk to my team. I felt really ashamed about what I did. "After that I just told myself I'm nearing 30, I've really got to enjoy the time I have. "Tennis is very important to me, but I have a life outside of that. I have to treasure tennis in the way that I can, which is not putting too much importance on it." Image source, EPA Image caption, Naomi Osaka hit 21 winners in a free-flowing performance as she defeated Aryna Sabalenka Osaka not only matched Sabalenka for pace but played with more control. While Sabalenka's frustrations after a m