According to a tweet from the Australian Open, Osaka has withdrawn, and Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska is her successor for the main draw.
“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023,” the tweet read.
Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023 ?
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2023
“Dayana Yastremska moves into the main draw. #AusOpen,” their second tweet read.
Dayana Yastremska moves into the main draw. #AusOpen
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2023
Osaka isn’t the only one to withdraw. It was announced that seven-time Grand Slam champ Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Australian Open because of her ankle and knee surgeries obtained “at the ASB Classic in New Zealand.”
Dayana Yastremska moves into the main draw. #AusOpen
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 8, 2023
Osaka hasn’t played in a while since September. According to CNN, she pulled out of the second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia at the Tokyo Open because she felt ill. Osaka has been outspoken about her mental health struggles, which has led her to take a break from her tennis career. After missing the 2021 French Open and telling the public she would avoid press conferences for mental health reasons, she was seen breaking down in tears, announcing that she was taking a break from tennis.
With Osaka taking breaks from her career for months, many wonder what it means for the 25-year-old’s career, especially after her ranking slipped to 47 recently despite being ranked in the top five between 2018 and 2020.
From the looks of her Instagram, the tennis champ seems to be enjoying her time off the court. She has also been focused on her partnerships and her children’s book, “The Way Champs Play.”
