Naomi Osaka pulls out of home Japan Open due to back injury

The 26-year-old, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from her home Japan Open scheduled for next week due to an injury that forced her to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing.
The Japan Tennis Association released a statement saying, “Due to injury, Naomi Osaka will not participate” in the WTA 250 competition, which is scheduled to take place in Osaka from October 14–20.

The former world number one appeared in excellent condition last week in Beijing, when she won three titles at the China Open.

However, Osaka’s back ailment forced her to quit at the end of the second set in her match against eventual champion Coco Gauff in the round of 16.

“So I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn’t sure if I could even play but I just wanted to try,” she posted to Twitter.

“Unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match.”

Osaka made a brief cameo at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo two years ago, which was her last WTA competition in her own nation.

After one game, her opponent Daria Saville withdrew, giving her the victory in the first round.

After that, Osaka withdrew prior to her second-round match due to stomach discomfort.

Before taking a sabbatical to give birth to her daughter Shai in July 2023, this was her final competition.

Despite her January return to the circuit, Osaka has found it difficult to regain the form that allowed her to win two Australian and two US Opens between 2018 and 2021.