“Stay strong champ” Tennis Twitter reacts after Naomi Osaka makes a shocking exit at the Canadian Open

“Stay strong champ” Tennis Twitter reacts after Naomi Osaka makes a shocking exit at the Canadian Open

Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka had a shocking exit at the National Bank Open in Toronto after being forced to retire hurt because of a back injury in her first-round match. The four-time Grand Slam champion was trailing Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 6-7 (4-7) 0-3 when she decided to call it quits. Even after receiving treatment from a trainer during the match, it did not help her much as she could not bear the pain and was forced to make the tough decision.

Osaka, regarded as one of the best active players, has not been in sensational form over the past year with constant injuries which force her to skip some of the tournaments. She won her last Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open and her search for another title win still continues. She will take the time to get recovered and be in the best health to win another title at the US Open where she is a two-time champion.

She has time and again stressed the importance of mental health which is equally important as physical fitness. She first talked about it when she decided to skip post-match interviews at the French Open in 2021 citing the same. She even, later on, missed that year’s Championship event owing to her mental health issues.

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Also Read: “I feel like the pressure doesn’t beat me,” Naomi Osaka slowly regaining confidence despite loss to Coco Gauff

Twitter fans left surprised after Naomi Osaka’s decision to exit at the National Bank Open

Naomi Osaka

Osaka’s exit from the National Bank Open came after she decided it wasn’t worth pushing through the pain with the US Open around the corner. The Japanese player was reduced to tears as she shook hands with Kanepi and left the court. She had skipped playing at the 2022 Wimbledon Championship due to a number of niggling injuries and was hoping to find some form ahead of the year’s final grand slam in New York. Tennis fans were left shocked upon hearing about Osaka’s exit and they were disheartened to see the Japanese suffer another setback.

Also Read: “I don’t think we are conscious of everything she’s achieved,” Alex Corretja lauds Serena Williams’ exceptional career

Also Read: “Normally you cannot because you play Wimbledon”Daniil Medvedev does not regret skipping the Championships as he gears up for US Open

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