The organization of the Australian Open announced early this Sunday that two-time champion Naomi Osaka will not contend in the 2023 edition of the competition. Osaka, 25 years old and previous number 1 in the world, currently appears in 42nd area in the ranking and has not played considering that September in 2014, when she played in the WTA 500 in Tokyo. Information on the reason for the withdrawal have yet to be released.
Last season, Osaka experienced several injuries, especially an Achilles tendon problem that jeopardized her efficiency in the clay period as well as made her withdraw from Wimbledon. Currently in the warm-up for the United States Open, she additionally had a back injury and deserted a suit in Toronto. In her newest event, in Tokyo, she beat the Australian Daria Saville, yet really did not even enter the court to face the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia in the round of 16. At the time, she justified the lack for clinical reasons, pointing out stomach pain.
Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023 💙
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2023
Naomi Osaka has four Grand Slam titles, won the US Open in 2018 as well as 2020 and the Australian Open in 2019 as well as 2021. Last year in Melbourne, she quit in the 3rd round.
The openings that would have been Osaka in the bracket mosted likely to the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, number 101 worldwide, who currently will no more require to play quali in Melbourne.
