Naomi Osaka’s uncertain playing status gives Australian Open officials a headache
Four-time major champion, Naomi Osaka's participation at the Australian Open 2023 still hangs in the air.
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Naomi Osaka
The Australian Open is fast approaching, as the first Major begins in 10 days. Two-time Australian Open champion, Naomi Osaka’s uncertain playing status at the tournament has given a huge headache to the officials. The Japanese star is officially a part of the main draw for the Australian Open. However, there is no update on her whereabouts.
Naomi Osaka is yet to arrive in Australia ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year. She is not scheduled to play any of the warm-up tournaments, which further puts her participation in doubt. The four-time Major champion recently posted a picture of herself in a US-based pilates studio.
Naomi Osaka also travelled to Europe with her partner, Cordae in late December to celebrate the festive period. She shared several photos from her trip, which includes a picture with her partner at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
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Naomi Osaka had a turbulent 2022 season
Naomi Osaka has been dealing with several off-court issues in the last couple of years. The Japanese revealed that she was dealing with mental health issue, which forced her to take a short hiatus from the sport in 2021. Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open in 2021, citing her struggle with anxiety.
The former World No.1 had an underwhelming 2022 season, where she was knocked out in the first round of the French and the US Open. She managed to reach the third round of the Australian Open, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova in three sets. Osaka failed to win a single title last year, with her last appearance coming at the Japan Open.
The mystery around Naomi Osaka’s participation at the Australian Open 2023 has been worrisome for the officials. The two-time champion is one of the biggest names in tennis, and her absence could really hurt the tournament.
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Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)