Japan’s Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the upcoming French Open with a hamstring injury, she said on Thursday.
The 22 year old US Open title winner was hurt when facing her former rival Victoria Azaranka in the US Open finals.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to play the French Open this year,” the world number three wrote on social media in a message she also posted in Japanese.
“My hamstring is still sore so I won’t have time to prepare for the clay – these two tournaments came too close to each other for me this time.
“I wish the organizers and players all the best.”
Naomi Osaka
Osaka stood out as truly newsworthy in New York as much for her exhibitions on court concerning her pledge to social equity causes.
For every one of her U.S. Open matches she wore an alternate veil that conveyed the name of a Black American, intending to feature racial foul play in the United States to a more extensive crowd.
The withdrawal of Osaka, who has never progressed past the third round at Roland Garros, comes as another hit to the competition after world number one Ash Barty of Australia said she would not be guarding her title due to COVID-19 concerns.
On the men’s side, Roger Federer won’t contend as he keeps on recouping from knee medical procedure.
Osaka’s nonattendance would improve Serena Williams’ odds of winning a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title if the American decides to play. The 38-year-old has pulled out of the Italian Open with an Achilles issue.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said on Thursday it would permit 5,000 onlookers for each day following an ongoing spike in COVID-19 cases in the nation. It had recently said the claycourt major would allow a limit of 11,500 fans for each day.
