This Australian Open Another big lottery card will be played as officials struggle to determine the state of play and exactly where two-time women’s champion Naomi Osaka is.
Osaka, who has just returned to US base this week after a trip through Europe with his partner Cordae, looks almost certain he will miss the Melbourne Major without a game in four months.
a instagram post Captioned «Europe», former world #1 rapper Cordae shared a photo last week in France where he looks like he’s at a concert sitting together in front of the Mona Lisa.
Osaka, the champion at Melbourne Park in 2019 and 2021, has returned to Los Angeles after being tagged in a photo from a pilates studio in suburban LA, but showed no signs of preparing for the first major tournament of the year.
Disgruntled fans voiced their concerns on social media, with some responding to the post and apparently blaming Osaka’s boyfriend for not playing tennis.
While Osaka remains on the official Australian Open entry list, the 25-year-old is in no condition to play in Adelaide or Hobart next week. Officials appear to have quietly yielded to Osaka’s failure to compete at Melbourne Park, where the game kicks off on January 16, as concerns mount that the four-time grand slam champion may never return.
Osaka took a mental health break after sitting at the 2021 French Open and later revealed that she had been battling depression and anxiety for several years.
It’s hard to imagine Osaka battling seriously for a third title, even if it has featured in Australia. The Japanese star has not played since withdrawing from the second round last September due to stomachaches in Tokyo, and has only won one completed match since last May.
He also failed in the first round of his three previous events, including the US Open, a tournament in which he won the title twice.
Osaka’s last official victory was a significantly shortened victory after just one game against Daria Saville when the Australian’s ACL was ruptured in Tokyo.
If Osaka pulls out of the season-opening grand slam tournament, they will join the senior slots and the non-participating old-world Number 1s. Australia’s drought-busting Ash Barty was unable to defend the women’s crown after his shock retirement last March, while Roger Federer, a six-time men’s winner, left the game last year. Seven-time Open champion Serena Williams is currently inactive in the game, announcing in August that she is «moving away from tennis.»
Nine-time men’s champion Novak Djokovic is back after missing 2022 after his Australian visa was revoked for not being vaccinated against Covid-19. warmly welcomed Back to action in AustraliaDouble loss at Adelaide International on Monday.
The draw will take place next Thursday and Carlos Alcaraz will be the men’s winner ahead of Spanish national and reigning champion Rafael Nadal. World No. 1 Polish Iga Swiatek is the first in the women’s seeding ranking.
#Naomi #Osakas #Australian #Open #playing #status #surrounded #mystery #Naomi #Osaka