Naomi Osaka will no longer be a part of the Australian Open.
The four-time grand slam champion withdrew from the event one week before the tournament would begin. Osaka has yet to make a statement about her decision to no longer participate in the tournament, however, fans believe it is due to an injury she sustained last year.
Last June, Osaka suffered from an Achilles injury which caused her to withdraw from Wimbledon. The following September, she would also forfeit from the Toray Pan Pacific Open due to an illness.
During a press conference, Osaka said, “It’s an honor to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan. This has and always will be a special tournament for me and I wish I could have stepped on the court today, but my body won’t let me. Thank you for all your support this week and I will see you next year.”
We are sending Naomi Osaka our best wishes.