Why it’s time for Australian Open commentators to ditch ‘supermum’ label

Naomi Osaka is back playing tennis after giving birth to a beautiful baby – it’s fantastic – but can we ditch the ‘supermum’ references already, writes ERIN SMITH.

It’s time to leave the supermum label behind for stars like Naomi Osaka. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Naomi Osaka is back playing tennis – which is fantastic, she is great to watch, a star, – but if one more commentator calls her ‘supermum’ the television will be going on mute.

It’s incredibly offensive.

Not just to Osaka but to every mum around the globe juggling full time work, kids, school lunches, drop-offs, pick-ups, the various illnesses and still managing to get dinner on the table at a reasonable time each night without throwing a plate or pot across the kitchen in frustration.

Osaka is an elite athlete who has simply returned to her job after taking 15 months off after having a baby.

Being a mum, no matter how great she is at it, is irrelevant to how she performs on the court.

Sure it is now part of who she is, but it’s not all she is.

On the court she is a former World No. 1, a four time Grand Slam champion.

How quickly she can change a nappy doesn’t have anything to do with her skills with a tennis racquet.

Naomi Osaka is back and raring to go for the Australian Open. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Sure several decades ago an elite sportswoman returning to their chosen sport after having a baby was a rarity.

But not because it was physically difficult – it was because there was no support, financial or otherwise for them to simply come back.

There were no maternity clauses in contracts, no continued wage, no guarantee of a job on their return.

So they simply didn’t.

Women’s sport has moved with the times.

Female athletes have the resources and support to have a baby, take some time off, restart training and get back to their jobs. Just like any other woman working in any other industry.

But commentators seem to be stuck several decades ago acting like any woman who has had a child and returned to playing is as rare as a purple elephant.

Labelling them a ‘supermum’.

Gretel Bueta and son Bobby after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

To me it is no different to any other mother taking time off from their chosen career and then returning to work.

I don’t expect my bosses to treat me differently at work because I have a child.

In fact I’d be lodging a complaint if I was referred to as “working mum” at a morning meeting.

Commentators need to get with the times and give athletes the respect they deserve when they are on the court.

Katrina Gorry in action for the Matildas. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

No one has ever called Roger Federer ‘super dad’ while commentating one of his matches.

It doesn’t just apply to tennis.

Take the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Practically every time Matildas midfielder Katrina Gorry touched the ball (which was a lot) every commentator referred to her as a mum, despite the fact her daughter Harper is two and Gorry had been back playing football for more than a year.

No mention of her physical skills, her technical ability, how many goals she has scored for her country or the insane amount of kilometres she runs in a match.

Strangely enough commentators never referred to Tameka Yallop as a mum – despite the fact she too has a daughter not much older than Gorry.

While Yallop didn’t give birth to her daughter she is still a mum nonetheless.

I could list a dozen elite sportswomen who have returned to their careers without even consulting Google – Gretel Bueta (netball), Vanessa Low (Para-athlete), Lauren Jackson (basketball), Victoria Azarenka (tennis), Katrina Gorry (football), Tazmin Gray (NRLW), Melissa Barbieri (football), Jodie Kenny (hockey), Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr (crossfit), Caroline Wozniacki (tennis), Alex Morgan (football) and Allyson Felix (athletics).

The lifespan of elite sportswomen is no longer dictated by how long they are willing to wait until they have a baby.

Their industries have simply caught up with the rest of the world making it possible.

It is time the commentators did too.

Originally published as Why it’s time for Australian Open commentators to ditch ‘supermum’ label