Tennis star Naomi Osaka suffers another setback ahead of Wimbledon

London, UK - Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from Wimbledon because of an Achilles injury, an updated withdrawal list from the tournament showed on Saturday.

Naomi Osaka will not be competing at this year's Wimbledon tournament.
Naomi Osaka will not be competing at this year's Wimbledon tournament.  © REUTERS

The 24-year-old, who has won the Australian Open and the US Open twice each, was on an initial entry list last week but has not played since the French Open, where she was eliminated in the first round.

Osaka had recently posted a social media video of her rehabilitation following the foot problem. Wimbledon starts on June 27 and the withdrawal list dated Saturday said she was out due to a "leg injury."

Osaka followed up in various social media posts a little later, saying: "My Achilles still isn’t right so I’ll see you next time."

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"Trying to find the positives in a negative situation so all love. But there goes my grass dreams."

She had previously said she was considering not going to the London grass grand slam after it was stripped of ranking points due to its ban on Russian and Belarusian players following the invasion of Ukraine.

Osaka opens up on dealing with setbacks

Osaka hasn't played since the French Open, where she was eliminated in the first round.
Osaka hasn't played since the French Open, where she was eliminated in the first round.  © REUTERS

Former Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard of Canada withdrew from Wimbledon late on Friday because of the lack of ranking points as she fights back from injury. The Wimbledon document lists her reason as a shoulder injury.

Osaka added: "After the storm comes the calm. This is a saying that I’m actively trying to master."

"I feel like life keeps dealing cards and you’re never gonna be used to them but it’s how you adapt to uncomfortable situations that really says stuff about your character. I’ve been repeating mantras in my head a lot recently."

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"I don’t know if it’s to subconsciously help myself through stressful times or to ease my mind into realising that everything will work out fine as long as I put the work in. Cause what more can you do?"

This year's Wimbledon will mark Serena Williams' big comeback, a full year after her last match.

Cover photo: REUTERS

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