Injury scare for Naomi Osaka ahead of Australian Open

Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open Campaign in Doubt After Auckland Withdrawal

Naomi Osaka’s hopes for a successful Australian Open campaign have been thrown into doubt after the four-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 suffered an apparent injury during the final of a WTA tournament in Auckland.

In the final against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, Osaka won the first set 6-4 before speaking to her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, the chair umpire, and a tour trainer. Ultimately, she made the difficult decision to withdraw from the match.

While the exact nature of her injury remains unclear, it appeared to be related to her abdominal area, rather than the back injury she had experienced at the China Open in October that forced her to end her 2024 season prematurely.

Emotions ran high as Osaka sat waiting for the trainer, eventually leaving the court to a subdued ovation from the spectators before returning for the prize presentation.

Expressing her disappointment, Osaka said, “I’ve enjoyed playing here and I’m sorry it had to end this way.”

Despite leading 5-1 with two breaks of serve in the first set, Osaka began to struggle with her performance, showing signs of fatigue and reduced power in her serves. She pushed through to claim the set before realizing she could not continue.

After taking a break from tennis following the birth of her daughter Shai, Osaka made her return to the sport at the beginning of 2024. The Auckland final marked her first competitive match since her hiatus, and a victory would have secured her first title since the 2021 Australian Open.