Osaka To Play Australian Open After ‘Devastating’ Injury Pullout

After suffering an abdominal injury last week, Naomi Osaka announced on Friday that she would “for sure” play her first-round match at the Australian Open.

The Japanese star won the first set against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, but the Japanese star retired from the final after losing to Denmark’s Clara Tauson last week in Auckland.

“In that moment it was devastating”, admitted two-time Australian Open champion Osaka, a former world number one.

“It just sucked because I thought my body wasn’t moving in the direction my mind wanted it to.”

The first Grand Slam of the year starts on Sunday at Melbourne Park, where Osaka stated to reporters, “Obviously, I was very concerned about my chances playing here.”

Osaka claimed that she had had a scan to assess the extent of the injury, which revealed conflicting results.

” The MRI, it wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t bad at the same time.

“I’m pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I’m going to play my match.

It seems like things are going well because I’ve been practicing pretty well for the two days I’ve been here.

Osaka reconnected to the circuit 12 months after giving birth to her first child in 2023 after a 15-month break.

Osaka, who is now ranked 50th, has already won two of her four Grand Slam titles at Melbourne Park between 2019 and 2021.

She has been drawn to face France’s 58th-ranked Caroline Garcia in a repeat of last year’s first-round clash that the French player won.

Osaka acknowledged that returning to tennis after giving birth was difficult and that she was still struggling.

” After giving birth, it was definitely really tough to even run, “the 27-year-old said.

” I do understand why it’s very difficult to even get (back) to a professional level.

“There is no guidebook. However, you kind of “go off” your body’s advice.

Source: Channels TV