CNN
—
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open, tournament organizers announced on Sunday, without specifying the reason.
“Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Australian Open. She will be missed at #AO2023,” the Australian Open tweeted.
Former world No. 1 Osaka was not listed to compete in any warm-up tournaments in Adelaide or Hobart, sparking speculation that she will play in the first Grand Slam of the year.
The 25-year-old has walked away from competitive tennis and has made several high-profile revelations about her mental health issues following an incident in August 2021, where she was visibly stressed and emotional while speaking to the media during a mandatory press conference at Roland. Garros.
Osaka then pulled out of the French Open that year and revealed she had “suffered long periods of depression” since winning her first major championship in 2018.
Osaka’s past season has been marred by injury and illness: she withdrew from the Summer Set 1 tournament in Melbourne last January with an abdominal injury and withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September due to illness.
She also missed the entire grass season with an Achilles tendon injury and withdrew from her Canadian Open opener with a back injury.
Osaka joins a list of notable absentees from the Australian Open, which begins on January 16.
Men’s world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has a leg injury, he said on Friday. The tournament would have been the 19-year-old’s first grand slam since winning the 2022 US Open in September and becoming the youngest world No. 1 in men’s tennis history.
Wild card Venus Williams has also withdrawn from women’s singles due to injury, tournament organizers announced on Twitter on Saturday.
Meanwhile, there are question marks over the fitness of Britain’s Emma Raducanu and women’s world No 1 Iga Swiatek after she withdrew from the Adelaide International 2 tournament on Saturday due to injury on the right shoulder.
Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska will enter the main draw in place of Osaka, organizers have announced.
