Naomi Osaka blames ‘superstitions’ after quest for first title in four years ends at ASB Classic

Former World No.1 Noami Osaka suffered an abdominal injury during the final against Clara Tauson at the ASB Classic.

Naomi Osaka blames ‘superstitions’ after quest for first title in four years ends at ASB Classic

Naomi Osaka (Image via X)

Naomi Osaka was on the verge of winning her first title in four years. She was up against Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the final of the ASB Classic on Sunday (November 5) and had secured a win in the first set but an unfortunate injury forced her to withdraw from the match.

Osaka played her first final since 2022 and clinched the first set 6-4. But abdominal injury forced her to take a medical timeout after which she was in tears as she decided she could play no further.

YouTube video

After the match, she was asked whether superstitions like eating same breakfast everyday or wearing a shoe on before the other were the reason behind her mid-match retirement.

Now that you mention it, I didn’t eat breakfast today so maybe that’s why I should stick to my superstitions. I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I had a lot of fun playing here. I’m really sorry about how it ended. I’m just really grateful to be here.

Naomi Osaka said

Clauson became the first player from Denmark to win the ASB Classic, which was also her third career WTA title and her first since 2021.

Clara Tauson makes feeling known after receiving a walkover from Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka suffered a huge blow a week before the Australian Open but the severity of the abdominal injury is not known yet. The four-time Grand Slam champion will be hoping be back on the court with 100 percent fitness before the Australian Open which she won twice.

Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka (Image via X)

Clara Tauson, after receiving the walkover and winning the tournament, admitted that she didn’t wish the match to end like this.

It’s not the way you want to win any match, and especially not the final. I felt like I had some more tennis to show today.

Clara Tauson said after the match

It was in Melbourne in 2021 that Osaka won her last title. ASB Classic was Osaka’s first tournanment since her mid-match retirement from the fourth round of China Open in October last year. The Japanese had tied the set with Coco Gauff but a back injury forced her to give the walkover to the American.

Last year at the Australian Open, The 27-year-old was knocked out of the first round by Caroline Garcia in straight sets. In the next three Grand Slam events, the former World No.1 failed to go past the second round, losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek at the French Open, to Emma Navarro at Wimbledon, and to Karolina Muchova at the US Open.