Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka Withdraw from Cincinnati Open

MASON, Ohio — National Bank Open finalists Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka have withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open following their match in Montreal on Thursday. The announcement came on Friday, revealing both players will not compete in the tournament that began the same day.

Mboko, an 18-year-old Canadian who won her first WTA title in Montreal, cited a left wrist injury as the reason for her withdrawal. She sustained the injury during her semifinal match and had an MRI the morning after her victory. ‘I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now,’ Mboko said. ‘It’s just very close and sudden for me to go there and play again in, like, two days.’

Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, withdrew due to a “change of schedule.” After playing in a demanding match at the National Bank Open, she expressed uncertainty about playing again so soon. ‘It’s going to be interesting to see what my next match is and how I’m going to play,’ Osaka said.

Both players were granted performance byes into the second round of the Cincinnati Open due to their finals appearances in Montreal. With their withdrawals, four lucky losers from qualifying will now face off in two first-round matches in their place. Cristina Bucsa will compete against Yuan Yue, while Solana Sierra faces Iva Jovic. The winners of these matches will face the seeded players in the second round.

Mboko and Osaka are expected to be seeded in the upcoming US Open, scheduled to start on August 24. Following her win in Montreal, Mboko’s ranking has climbed to a career-high of No. 24, while Osaka stands at No. 25, her highest ranking since returning from maternity leave in 2024.