Naomi Osaka Withdraws from Japan Open with Leg Injury
Naomi Osaka’s comeback run in Japan has hit a setback. The four-time Grand Slam champion has withdrawn from the Japan Open quarter-finals due to a left thigh injury she picked up earlier in the tournament.
Osaka had been scheduled to face Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian on Friday, but tournament organizers announced her withdrawal, saying: “Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today.”
The 26-year-old first showed signs of trouble during her three-set win over defending champion Suzan Lamens on Wednesday. Late in that match, with Osaka up 5-0 in the final set, she called for a medical timeout and returned to the court with her thigh heavily strapped. Despite the pain, she fought through to take the win — but needed painkillers to get through it.
Her exit gives Cristian a walkover into the semi-finals, where she’ll face the winner of the Tereza Valentova vs. Olga Danilovic match. The other semi-final will feature Canadian Leylah Fernandez against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
Osaka's withdrawal also ends her first WTA appearance in Japan since 2022 and throws her participation in next week’s Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo into question.
This latest injury adds to a growing list of top WTA players forced to cut their seasons short due to physical issues. Emma Raducanu announced an early end to her season this week after back-to-back match retirements due to illness. Daria Kasatkina, Elina Svitolina, and Paula Badosa have also ended their seasons early in recent weeks.
Just last month, Iga Swiatek spoke out about the demanding calendar, calling the season "too long and too intense" — a sentiment that seems to echo louder with each new withdrawal.
Osaka, currently ranked 16th in the WTA rankings, had also lost in the second round of both the Wuhan and China Opens in recent weeks. Whether she’ll recover in time to play in front of home fans again in Tokyo remains to be seen.
