Osaka withdraws from Cincinnati tournament due to exhaustion

Japanese player Naomi Osaka withdrew yesterday, Wednesday, from the Cincinnati Masters, a 1000-point tennis tournament, citing exhaustion, which reduced the number of top players in the final major preparatory event before the US Open, the fourth Grand Slam tournament.

The Japanese star, who has won four Grand Slam titles, was at the peak of her form on hard courts, having reached the semifinals of the Washington tournament and the quarterfinals of the Toronto WTA 1000 event, currently underway.

As the 11th seed, Osaka was expected to receive a direct bye into the second round, but she stated that she was not ready to compete.

Osaka said in a statement, “I am very sad to withdraw from Cincinnati this year due to exhaustion. I love playing here and look forward to returning and competing in Cincinnati next year.”

This marks Osaka’s second consecutive withdrawal from Cincinnati, following her exit last year due to a change in the match schedule.

The 28-year-old player last participated in Cincinnati in 2024, where she lost in the qualifying rounds after returning to competition following the birth of her child.

She finished as runner-up in the 2020 edition, behind Belarusian winner Victoria Azarenka.