Naomi Osaka withdrew from Wimbledon, citing an Achilles injury after she said at last month’s French Open that she may not play the tournament because there won’t be ranking points this year.
”There goes my grass dreams,” she posted on social media Saturday.
Osaka, who is ranked 43rd, hasn’t played a tournament since the French Open. She posted on social media last week that her Achilles was being “stubborn.”
She withdrew from her last tournament before the French Open due to that injury, then lost in the round at Roland Garros.
The ATP and WTA Tours stripped Wimbledon of awarding ranking points because the tournament barred Russian and Belarusian players due to the war in Ukraine.
“I’m leaning more towards not playing given the current circumstances, but, you know, that might change,” Osaka said after losing her French Open first-round match to American Amanda Anisimova. “I’m not sure why, but I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it’s more like an exhibition. I know this isn’t true, right? But my brain just like feels that way. Whenever I think like something is like an exhibition, I just can’t go at it 100%.”
She also said she was “a bit scared” about playing on grass after previously suffering an injury on the surface.
Osaka’s best Wimbledon result in three appearances was making the third round in 2017 and 2018. She skipped last year’s edition while taking a mental break from the sport.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!
my Achilles still isn’t right so I’ll see you next time 🥹🌱👋🏾 pic.twitter.com/mryWdKnitN
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 18, 2022
