By
Naomi Osaka joins sports people applauding basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo for calling sports losses a ‘failure’.
Antetokounmpo said something that resonated with many athletes around the world.
His words capture the essence of what it means to be an accomplished athlete.
The Milwaukee Bucks star was responding to a question from a member of the press following the team’s exit from the NBA playoffs.
You asked me the same question last year, Eric. all right. Do you get a promotion every year at your job? No, right, so your job every year is a failure? yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work towards something. On to the goal, right? To get any promotion, it’s about being able to take care of your family,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.
“This is not a failure, it’s a measure of success. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships, the remaining nine years, was it a failure?
“Is this what you mean? It is a wrong question. There is no failure in sports. There are good days, bad days. Some days you can be successful, some days you are not,” he added.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion who has struggled with her mental health, believes this attitude is a game-changer for athletes.
“That’s probably the most refreshing perspective I’ve ever heard. I think it changed my life, Osaka wrote on her Instagram stories.
There are those who believe that Osaka will not return to sports after giving birth.
However, Osaka said she wants to return in time to aim for an Olympic gold medal in Paris next year.
«I want to play again. When I found out I was pregnant, I said to myself, ‘OK, I’ll definitely play better after that.’ I’m sure this baby will motivate me to try harder and give my best,” Naomi Osaka told Japan TV.
“I will try to win eight more Grand Slams and win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. «It’s one of my most exciting goals because I’m going back to sports,» she added.
Naomi Osaka is expecting her first child with her partner Korde, who is a hip hop artist from the United States.
Her 2022 season has been marred by injury, but she has spoken out about a return to competition.
Read more: Coco Gauff backs her game on clay to carry her success.
