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Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka will miss the remainder of the 2024 WTA Tour season due to a back injury.
The Hong Kong Open, a WTA 250 event that was due to start on October 28, announced via its social media channels Monday (21/10), that the four-time Grand Slam champion had not only withdrawn from the tournament but also ended her season early.
“I am truly sorry to have to withdraw from competing at the Hong Kong Open and the remainder of this tennis season,” Osaka said in a statement shared by the tennis tournament.
Osaka added she was obviously disappointed not to be able to complete the games in Hong Kong, but still hoped to attend the event.
“There is an incredible lineup of world-class players coming to this tournament and I want to wish them all the best in this exciting event,” said Osaka.
Quoted from the official WTA website, Osaka was forced to withdraw from her fourth round match against Coco Gauff at the China Open three weeks ago due to injury, and has not played since.
Osaka wrote on her social media last week in response to a fan question on Instagram that her problem was “worse than she thought,” and that she was “trying my best” to “potentially play” in Tokyo.
However, Osaka was not in the draw for the Japan Open, the final WTA 500 event of the year.
The 2024 season is the year Osaka makes a comeback after taking a hiatus due to mental health, pregnancy and childbirth. He recorded a win loss of 22-17, and reached the quarter-finals in Doha and Hertogenbosch.
The former world No.1 earned her first Top 10 win in two years by beating Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the United States (US) Open, and made a total of six Top 20 wins on the year.
After starting the season unranked, Osaka is currently No.56 in the WTA rankings. (Ant/Z-1)
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