Naomi Osaka withdraws from Japan Open with leg injury

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Japan Open ahead of her scheduled quarter-final match after suffering a leg injury during her previous round, Sport360NG reports.

The former world number one required painkillers and fought through visible discomfort in her three-set victory over defending champion Suzan Lamens on Wednesday. Osaka, the tournament’s top seed, completed that match with heavy strapping on her left thigh.

She had been due to meet Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian in Friday’s last eight, but Cristian will now advance to the semi-finals following Osaka’s withdrawal.

Tournament organisers confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today.”

It remains uncertain whether the four-time Grand Slam winner will recover in time to compete at the upcoming Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo later this month.

Osaka’s injury adds to a growing list of late-season fitness concerns among top players. In recent weeks, Iga Świątek criticised the demanding calendar, saying the season had become “too long and too intense” after multiple withdrawals at the China Open.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu ended her campaign on Thursday after successive retirements due to illness, while Daria Kasatkina, Elina Svitolina and Paula Badosa have also brought their seasons to early conclusions.

Across two tournaments in China last week, five players were forced to retire with injuries, underlining the physical toll of a packed tennis schedule.