By Ronny Lerner
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has become the latest big name to withdraw from the 2023 Australian Open.
The former world No.1’s announcement comes just a day after the men’s world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to a right leg injury.
Naomi Osaka will miss this year’s Australian Open.Credit:Getty Images
Osaka’s absence from the year’s first grand slam doesn’t come as a huge shock, considering she hasn’t played a competitive match for four months and only recently returned home from a European holiday with her US rapper boyfriend Cordae.
It will be the first time that the Japanese star will miss an Australian Open since her first appearance at Melbourne Park in 2016.
With the tennis world seemingly at her feet after winning back-to-back majors at the 2020 US Open and 2021 Australian Open, Osaka’s decline has been dramatic.
Her best performance at a grand slam since her last triumph at Rod Laver Arena was a third-round appearance, which she achieved at the 2021 US Open and last year’s Australian Open.
“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023,” Open officials tweeted on Sunday.
Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska has been promoted to the main draw in Osaka’s absence.
The 25-year-old’s Melbourne no show will only further heighten concerns the four-time grand slam champion may not return to the tennis court at all.
Osaka took a mental health break after sitting out the 2021 French Open and later revealed she’d been struggling with depression and anxiety for several years.
Down to No. 42 in the WTA rankings, the Japanese star hasn’t played since withdrawing from the second round in Tokyo last September with abdominal pains and has won only one completed match since last May.
The former world No.1 crashed out in the first round of her previous three events, including the US Open, which she has also won twice.
Osaka’s last victory was an abbreviated one to say the least, coming after just one game against Daria Saville when the Australian suffered a torn ACL in Tokyo.
Her scratching is another blow to Open organisers already reeling from the retirements last year of reigning women’s champion Ash Barty and legends Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
Alcaraz pulled out on Saturday with a hamstring injury before Serena’s seven-time grand slam-winning sister Venus handed back her wildcard after being hurt while practising in Auckland.
Former Melbourne Park finalist and ex-long-time No.1 Simona Halep isn’t competing this year either.
Osaka’s withdrawal would ordinarily have been a boost for Australian No.1 Ajla Tomljanovic, who needs two higher-ranked rivals to drop out before next Thursday’s draw to gain an all-important Open seeding.
But Osaka’s fall means the former world No.1 is behind Tomljanovic in the standings and battling to remain inside the top 50.
With AAP
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