Naomi Osaka on ending title-drought in Saint-Malo | 2025 Rome

With two back-to-back 1000-level tournaments in the rearview and a Grand Slam on the horizon, the clay-court calendar has hit a rare lull.

For pros not competing in last-minute tune-up events—like the Bitpanda Hamburg Open or the Internationaux de Strasbourg—this in-between week raises a familiar question: What’s the best way to use this brief window of downtime while still aiming to peak at Roland Garros?

It’s not quite long enough to fly home, but there’s still ample time between practice sessions to squeeze in sightseeing, rest, or sponsor obligations. So what’s the play?

👉 Read More: Game, Set, Recharge: Globe-trotting tennis pros fight jet lag by staying one step ahead

Tennis.com caught up with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Navarro to learn how players navigate the week-in, week-out grind of the ATP and WTA schedule.

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“Well, my girlfriend was cooking mostly, not me,” says Tsitsipas. "But I enjoyed her cooking a lot!"

“Well, my girlfriend was cooking mostly, not me,” says Tsitsipas. "But I enjoyed her cooking a lot!"

For many players, family time takes top priority—especially Tsitsipas and Osaka, who both traveled with family during the Sunshine Swing.

“The tour can be very demanding, so I try and bring some of my family members with me to some of the tournaments, because otherwise I don’t see them much,” Tsitsipas told me in Miami.

Between events, the Greek stays active with golf, grocery runs, and cooking—though he admits that girlfriend Paula Badosa takes the culinary lead.

“Well, my girlfriend was cooking mostly, not me,” he said, grinning. “But I enjoyed her cooking a lot! We had nice conversations, watched TV shows together… We’ve had some nice dinners at steakhouses and stuff.

“The main thing is relaxing. I wish I could have done more activities, but it’s okay. That’s how this period is.”

Things like that make me feel like I’m a little bit in touch with the local people and my surroundings. Emma Navarro

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👉 Read More: Game, Set, Recharge: Emma Navarro shares her first stop in Charleston

Osaka, who welcomed daughter Shai in July 2023, is focused on balancing motherhood with the demands of elite tennis.

“For this swing (Indian Wells and Miami), my daughter’s with me, so I’m just trying to make it back home before 7:30, which is her sleep time,” said the former world No. 1. “If not, I stalk or watch her through the nanny cam.

“When I’m not playing or not doing fitness or whatever, I try to go back home and spend as much time with her as I can.”

Emma Navarro, currently one of four American women in the WTA Top 10, uses her off-days to soak in the scenery wherever the tour takes her.

While Navarro immerses herself in tour cities, Osaka says she's "just trying to make it back home before 7:30."

While Navarro immerses herself in tour cities, Osaka says she's "just trying to make it back home before 7:30."

“On my days off, I prioritize rest for sure,” Navarro said. “But I also like to get out there and see some things.”

The 24-year-old’s social media feed is full of her various adventures and side-quests, from exploring street art in Melbourne and catching a soccer game in Rome, to walking her dog in her hometown of Charleston.

“I love to walk around different cities and neighborhoods especially, just see how the people live or see the different architecture,” she added. “Things like that make me feel like I’m a little bit in touch with the local people and my surroundings.”

👉 Read More: Game, Set, Recharge: Garbiñe Muguruza’s three non-negotiables on a long flight

Stay tuned to Baseline for more from Game, Set, Recharge, where your favorite ATP and WTA stars share their best travel tips, wellness routines, and behind-the-scenes moments on tour.