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Osaka cancels participation in the Australian Open – reason unknown

2023-01-08T11:19:18.283Z


The Australian Open will take place without two-time winner Naomi Osaka. Shortly before the start of the tournament, the organizer announced the withdrawal of the Japanese – her participation had previously been questionable.


Enlarge image

Naomi Osaka in August 2022 at a WTA tournament in New York

Photo: Frank Franklin II / dpa

Two-time Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka canceled her participation a week before the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.

The organizers did not give a reason for the Japanese's withdrawal on Sunday.

"We will miss them at #AO2023," it said on Twitter.

The 2019 and 2021 Melbourne champion has not competed in a WTA competition since retiring from a tournament in Tokyo last September due to abdominal pain.

In the past few days it has emerged that Tennis Australia has apparently been unable to contact Osakas to confirm their attendance.

Although she was on the entry list, she had not taken part in the preparatory tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart.

In the past few weeks, she has repeatedly appeared on social media alongside her friend, the rapper Cordae in Europe.

Not the first cancellation

In total, the 25-year-old has won four Grand Slam titles so far.

Last year she missed Wimbledon due to an Achilles tendon injury, and Osaka was eliminated in the first round of the French Open and US Open.

In Paris 2021, she had withdrawn before her second-round match, discussed prolonged periods of depression and anxiety, and was on hiatus until the Olympics in her home country.

She slipped to 42nd in the world rankings.

On Saturday, four-time Australian Open winner Venus Williams announced that she would not start due to an unspecified injury.

For men, the Spanish world number one Carlos Alcaraz is missing due to a muscle injury.

ngo/dpa/sid/Reuters

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2023-01-08

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