This should have been Naomi Osaka’s week on home soil — a long-awaited return to Japanese courts, a chance to remind the world how electric she can be when the crowd is truly hers. Instead, the four-time Grand Slam champion’s comeback was halted by a cruel twist of fate, a left leg injury that forced her to withdraw before Friday’s quarterfinal at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open.
Tournament organizers confirmed the news on X, citing the injury she picked up in the previous round:
“Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarterfinals scheduled for today,” the post read.
The withdrawal sends Jaqueline Cristian into the semifinals by walkover — her third semifinal of the season, and her first on a surface other than clay.
A Promising Start Ends in Frustration
Osaka’s week had begun with the confidence of a player rediscovering her rhythm. She opened with a 6–0, 6–4 win over fellow Japanese player Wakana Sonobe, sealing victory in just 76 minutes.
Her second-round encounter with defending champion Suzan Lamens was shaping up as another step forward — Osaka led 7–6(6), 3–6, 5–0 when misfortune struck.
Midway through a rally at 0–5, 30–15, Osaka suddenly pulled up, grimacing and clutching her left thigh. Though she won the point, she called for a medical timeout moments later. When she returned, her leg was tightly bandaged and her movement restricted, but she still finished the match with a winner on her third match point.
Precaution over Pride
Her post-match words were hopeful, but her expression told the truth. The injury wasn’t minor. By Friday morning, Osaka chose caution over pride, withdrawing rather than risk further damage.
The exit cuts short her first WTA tournament appearance in Japan since 2022, a moment many hoped would mark a full-circle moment in her comeback.
With Osaka gone, No. 4 seed Leylah Fernandez now becomes the highest-ranked player remaining in the draw.