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Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open


Naomi Osaka

(FILES) This file photo taken on August 30, 2022 shows Naomi Osaka of Japan gesturing after a point during her 2022 US Open women’s singles match against Danielle Collins of the United States United at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (Photo by COREY SIPKIN / AFP)

Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Australian Open, organizers of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament which kicks off on January 16 said on Sunday without explaining why, as a dark cloud surrounded covered one of the sport’s brightest stars.

The former Japanese world number one was on the list for the Australian Open, but Osaka was not scheduled to compete in the warm-up events in Adelaide and Hobart, raising doubts about her participation in the professional tournament. difficult industry.

“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023,” the Australian Open tweeted. “Dayana Yastremska enters the main draw.”

Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 Melbourne Park champion, has not been on the WTA Tour since the Pan Pacific Open in September, where she withdrew from her second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia in Tokyo due to illness.

She was eliminated in the first round of three tournaments before that event, including the US Open.

Her withdrawal marks a double for the Australian Open organizers a day after seven-time American Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was ruled out through injury.

Osaka, who dropped to 42nd place in the world rankings, took time off to prioritize mental health after skipping the 2021 French Open. She later said she had battled depression and anxiety for many years.

The four-time major champion is one of the world’s highest-earning female athletes, according to Forbes, with a growing business portfolio, but her latest withdrawal is likely to spark There is a lot of speculation about whether she will continue her playing career.

The Australian Open has been without a few star players after Serena Williams and Roger Federer retired last year and world number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury.

2018 runner-up Simona Halep was also absent after being temporarily suspended in October for failing a drug test.

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