Naomi Osaka Injured In WTA Final In Auckland Right Before Australian Open - Black Promoters Collective (BPC)
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Naomi Osaka Injured In WTA Final In Auckland Right Before Australian Open

January 5, 2025
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Naomi Osaka’s participation in the Australian Open is being put into question after she sustained an injury while playing in a WTA tournament in Auckland. On Sunday, the tennis player competed against Denmark’s Clara Tauson in her first WTA final since 2022.

Osaka Withdraws Due to Injury

Osaka won the first set with a score of 6-4 before deciding to withdraw from the match. According to the Associated Press, her injury appeared to be abdominal.

“I just want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city,” Osaka said after the event. “I had a lot of fun playing here, and I’m really sorry about how it ended, but I hope that you enjoyed the tennis that we did play. I’m just really grateful to be here.”

The 27-year-old sustained a back injury at the China Open in October, leading her to withdraw from the 2024 season. Her qualification in Sunday’s final marked her 12th career final. Osaka’s last title was at the 2021 Australian Open, as previously reported by Blavity.

Balancing Motherhood and Tennis

Osaka took a break from tennis to give birth to her first child, Shai, in July 2023. Reflecting on her journey, she shared how the experience has influenced her performance and outlook on the sport.

“There are moments where it’s really difficult, where I do get down on myself,” she said this week, according to the AP. “But then I just kind of realized I was pregnant not so long ago, and I just really wanted the opportunity to play again. … Now I’m finally here, and I’m putting up really good fights, and I hope that I can keep continuing this way.”

“I feel like a veteran and also a newbie at the same time,” Osaka added. “I feel like I’ve been out of the game periodically to the point where I accept the fact that I’m playing new people because they are new people that come into the game every year. Obviously, I was out for a year and some change. … I’m very curious about the type of people that these young players are. I feel a lot of responsibility, and I also feel like I haven’t been the greatest role model at times. But I’m also, I guess, learning and trying my best every year.”