The Japanese former world No 1's name was on the entry list for the Australian Open but Osaka was not scheduled to play in warm-up tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart, raising doubts about her participation in the hardcourt major
Monday 9 January 2023 09:59, UK
Two-time champion Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Australian Open, organisers of the season's first Grand Slam which begins on January 16 announced on Sunday, without elaborating on the reason.
The Japanese former world No 1's name was on the entry list for the Australian Open but Osaka was not scheduled to play in warm-up tournaments in Adelaide and Hobart, raising doubts about her participation in the hardcourt major.
"Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023," the Australian Open tweeted. "Dayana Yastremska moves into the main draw."
Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 Melbourne Park champion, has not played on the WTA Tour since pulling out of her match against Beatriz Haddad Maia in the Pan Pacific Open second round in Tokyo in September due to illness.
Her withdrawal comes a day after American seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was ruled out of the Australian Open due to injury in a double blow to the organisers.
Osaka, who has slipped to 42 in the world rankings, had taken a break to prioritise her mental health after skipping the 2021 French Open and later said that she was battling depression.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams has pulled out of this month's Australian Open due to injury, the organisers said on Saturday.
Williams was set to play her 22nd Australian Open after being awarded a wildcard to the tournament, which runs January 16 to 29.
The 42-year-old American, twice a finalist at Melbourne Park who is now ranked outside the top 1,000, was preparing for the tournament at the Auckland Classic where she got injured.
"Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Australian Open due to an injury sustained at the ASB Classic in New Zealand," the Australian Open said in a tweet.
Williams crashed out of the US Open in the first round with a loss to unseeded Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck and only returned to action in Auckland, where she downed compatriot Katie Volynets before losing to China's Zhu Lin.
Australia's Kimberly Birrell was awarded her wildcard place.
