Naomi Osaka Withdraws from Japan Open Due to Injury

OSAKA, Japan — Naomi Osaka withdrew from her quarterfinal match at the Japan Open on Friday due to a left leg injury. Her withdrawal resulted in Cristian advancing to the semifinals by walkover, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

Tournament organizers reported that the top-seeded Osaka had not fully recovered from an injury sustained late in her second-round match. This withdrawal marks the third semifinal appearance for Cristian this year and her first on a surface other than clay.

Prior to the injury, Osaka had secured victories over formidable opponents, including the 2024 champion. In her earlier match against Lamens, after splitting the first two sets, Osaka surged ahead with a 5-0 lead in the third set. However, during a rally, she appeared to injure her left leg.

Despite winning the point against Lamens, Osaka requested a medical timeout after the next point. She returned to the court with her left thigh wrapped, showing limitations in her movement, yet managed to close out the match on her third match point.

This setback follows a challenging period for Osaka, who lost in the second round of the China Open in late September and fell again in the second round at the Wuhan Open last week. In another quarterfinal match on Friday, 2021 US Open finalist defeated her opponent with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-3.