Naomi Osaka checks in with fans on social media following 25th birthday

WATCH: Osaka was last on court at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, ultimately withdrawing due to illness.

Naomi Osaka reflected on her 25 trips around the sun on Monday, posting a heartfelt message to social media addressing her fans.

“Just like that a quarter century has passed for me and I feel really lucky to have encountered so many different people and traveled to so many exciting places in that time,” wrote the former world No. 1, who received birthday messages from players like Coco Gauff. “Honestly with each passing year I always expect myself to be more put together or to magically be more of an adult, I’ve realized though that a lot of things you can’t rush and it will all come eventually through the experience of living life.”

Osaka was last on court for her home tournament at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, withdrawing from her scheduled second round due to illness. On the heels of releasing her first children’s book, she shared a trip to Paris and looked in good spirits walking around the famed Musée du Louvre.

“@ the Louvre because I am a work of art,” she jokingly captioned.

A four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka has endured a chaotic year since refusing to participate in post-match press conferences at Roland Garros 2021, dropping from the top of the WTA rankings to a six-year low of No. 85 at the start of this season. Though she finished runner-up at the Miami Open, she has not reached a quarterfinal since and is not entered in any more tournaments in 2022.

Still, the newly-turned 25-year-old teased a forthcoming return, likely in time for the Australian Open in January.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for watching me go on this journey and I’m so grateful for all the love and messages, I really don’t know what I did to deserve it all. Love you and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”