https://www.japantimes.co.jp/
Withdrawal from the Australian Open by Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the Australian Open The Australian Open has seen two-time winner Naomi Osaka publicly withdraw, adding to the growing list of well-known losers.
Osaka had little chance of playing at Melbourne Park because she hadn't played since September. Following the publication on social media last week of images documenting her vacation through Europe with her boyfriend, US rapper Cordae.
The Australian Open has been abandoned by Naomi Osaka. Officials from the Open wrote, "We will miss her at #AO2023.
Osaka, a two-time Melbourne Park champion, saw the Mona Lisa, went to concerts, and only recently gave the impression that she was returning to Los Angeles, where she is based. She hasn't shown any indication that she's been practising for the Open.
The 25-year absence from the Melbourne tournament will fuel more worries that the four-time grand slam champion may never play tennis again.
Osaka took a break after declining to compete in the 2021 French Open. She then admitted that she had been battling depression and anxiety for a very long period.
The Japanese player dropped all the way to number 47 in the WTA rankings. And hasn't played since pulling out of the second round of the Tokyo Open in September of last year due to abdominal issues.
The preceding three competitions, including the twice-won US Open, saw the former world No. 1 lose in the opening round. Osaka's most recent triumph against Daria Saville was brief, coming after just one match because of the Australian's torn ACL in Tokyo. Her withdrawal is yet another setback for Open organizers, who are already hurting from the retirements of Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Ash Barty, the current women's champion, who all took place last year.
Carlos Alcaraz, the top-ranked man in the world, withdrew on Saturday due to a hamstring problem, and Serena's sister Venus, a seven-time grand slam champion, returned her wildcard after becoming hurt while practicing in Auckland.
Simona Halep, a former world number one and finalist at Melbourne Park, will also skip this year's tournament. In Osaka's absence, Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine has been elevated to the primary attraction.
Ajla Tomljanovic, the top-ranked Australian, would normally have benefited from Osaka's retirement. As she needs two higher-ranked competitors to quit before next Thursday's draw in order to secure an Open seeding.
The former world No. 1 is now trailing Tomljanovic in the rankings and is fighting to stay in the top 50, but Osaka's decline has been so unexpected.
A first-time grand slam seeding would guarantee that Tomljanovic, a quarter-finalist at both the US Open and Wimbledon, does not face a more highly-ranked opponent until at least the third round.
Only two Australians rated No. 22 in the world and No. 24 overall, are presently expected to be seeded for the first grand slam of the year: Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur.
After Alcaraz was forced to withdraw due to injury, organizers of the Kooyong Classic are still hopeful that Kyrgios would be persuaded to play in the Australian Open warm-up event.
