In spite of her temporary withdrawal from the tennis court due to an abdominal injury, Naomi Osaka, a four-time Major champion, has remained active on social media. Not only does she keep her fans engaged with style updates, such as her recent fashion-forward journey to California, but she also regularly participates in Q&A sessions. In a recent exchange, Osaka left her followers guessing with a cryptic reference to her personal life that intriguingly also touched on her well-known love for anime.
Osaka’s passion for anime is no secret to her fans. Last year, she even lent her voice to a character in the anime series, Allure: The Evening Primrose, a project of her production company, Hana Kuma. During the US Open in August 2024, Osaka’s Nike outfit reflected her love for anime and her Japanese heritage, with its clear Harajuku fashion influence. It’s worth noting that her former boyfriend, American rapper Cordae, shared Osaka’s enthusiasm for anime, and they would often watch shows together during their relationship. However, the two parted ways amicably last month, as revealed by Osaka in an Instagram post where she expressed gratitude for their shared experiences and their daughter.
During a recent Instagram Q&A session, one of Osaka’s followers asked her if she still watched anime with someone, presumably referring to Cordae, without mentioning his name. Osaka’s response, “I’ve never watched anime with Voldemort a day in my life. What do you mean???” only added more layers to the mystery, leaving fans wondering about the real meaning of her statement.
While the enigmatic anime reference remains unexplained, Osaka’s followers received some positive news about her tennis career. After a forced break due to her abdominal injury, Osaka is ready to return to the court. At the beginning of the season, she had a promising run at the ASB Classic, reaching the finals. However, she had to withdraw from the championship match against Clara Tauson despite leading 6-4 due to the same abdominal problem that later caused her to retire from the Australian Open.
The wait for her return is set to end next month. During the same Instagram Q&A, Osaka revealed she will be competing at the BNP Paribas Open, also known as Indian Wells. Despite her past performances at Indian Wells not being particularly outstanding, her fans are eager to see her back in action. In the 2022 edition of the tournament, she was eliminated in the second round by Veronika Kudermetova. A similar fate followed her return to the court after giving birth to her daughter, Shai, when she was ousted in the third round by Belgium’s Elise Mertens.
As for the cryptic ‘Voldemort’ reference, the speculation continues. Fans are left to wonder what Osaka could be alluding to, adding another layer of intrigue to this tennis star’s fascinating story.
