Naomi Osaka withdraws from Melbourne tournament with abdominal injury

Japan’s Naomi Osaka withdrew from the WTA Melbourne tournament on Saturday January 8, due to an abdominal injury before the semi-final she was scheduled to play against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova. “I really enjoyed playing here in Melbourne “, Naomi Osaka said in a statement released by organizers on Twitter.

“I had a lot of fun playing here in Melbourne. Unfortunately I have an abdominal injury which I need to rest and prepare for the #AusOpen. Thank you to the tournament and the fans. “- Naomi Osaka.

– #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2022

“Unfortunately I have an injury to my abdomen and have to rest and prepare for the Australian Open” which begins on January 17, she added. The Japanese, 13th in the world, was playing her first tournament since losing in the 3rd round of the US Open in September. “My body received a shock after playing two intense games in a row, after the break I took,” said the player, this time on a personal Twitter account.

Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break I took. Thank you for all the love this past week ❤️ I’ll try to rest up and I’ll see you soon!

– NaomiOsaka 大 坂 な お み (@naomiosaka) January 8, 2022

Her 2021 season was largely disrupted by psychological difficulties and she explained that she wanted to have fun on the court in Melbourne. She successively eliminated the French Alize Cornet, the Belgian Maryna Zanevska and the German Andrea Petkovic. Russian Veronika Kudermetova will therefore face Romania’s Simona Halep in the final on Sunday, who won in the other semi-final against China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2.