Tennis star Naomi Osaka announced she has split from longtime boyfriend Cordae, the father of her 17-month-old daughter, Shai.
“Hi everyone, just wanted to say that Cordae and I are no longer in a relationship,” Osaka, 27, shared via her Instagram Story on Monday, January 6. “No bad blood at all, he’s a great person and an awesome dad.”
Osaka and Cordae, a 27-year-old rapper, welcomed their daughter in July 2023. The couple had been dating since 2019.
She continued, “Honestly really glad our paths crossed because my daughter is my biggest blessing and I was able to grow a lot from our experiences together ❤️.”
Osaka’s announcement came on the heels of a trio of mysteriously prophetic posts she made via her Instagram Story the day before.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that what’s meant for me is meant for me and maybe certain situations occur to train my mind for what’s to come,” she wrote on Sunday, January 5. “Maybe there’s bigger and better things on my path and I just have to continue the journey to encounter them.”
Osaka added, “That being said this is about to be a great year 😌😉.”
The four-time major champion also expressed her gratitude to her “team and everyone close to me for having my back and keeping me sane (though that’s debatable LOL).”
In a separate post, Osaka thanked her “friends all around the world (I think saying fans is a disservice).”
Naomi Osaka and Cordae. Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
She added, “I’ve always said it feels like we’re going through this journey together and I really hope you’re having as much fun as I am ❤️.”
The messages came after Osaka made it to the finals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. She was visibly upset after being forced to retire in the championship match against Clara Tauson with an abdominal injury on Saturday, January 4, her first WTA Final in nearly three years.
In a statement released on Sunday, January 5, Osaka said she would be having an MRI to assess the damage of the injury, with the Australian Open set to begin on Sunday, January 12.
“I don’t feel that it’s too serious and I still feel very optimistic about AO,” Osaka noted.
After her run to the finals in Auckland, Osaka broke back into the top 50 in the world rankings on Monday, January 6. It marked the first time Osaka had been inside the top 50 since January 2023, before she went on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her daughter.
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