Naomi Osaka Injury Update: Devastating news about Japan Open campaign comes to light as 4-time Slam champ struggles with leg issue

Naomi Osaka sustained a leg injury during her Japan Open campaign, which has led to her withdrawal from the tournament's quarterfinal round. Osaka's latest match at the Japan Open was on October 15, where she squared off against the defending champion, Suzan Lamens, in the Round of 16.

In this three-set match, she took a medical timeout in the deciding set to treat her left leg. She returned to the match with heavy strapping on her thighs and eventually claimed a 7-6(8), 3-6, 6-2 victory, advancing to the quarterfinal round.

Despite progressing to the quarterfinal round, the Japanese won't be competing in the tournament, as per her recent injury update. The tournament officials shared news of her withdrawal from the ongoing tournament on X, writing:

"[Announcement of Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the quarterfinals] We would like to inform you that #NaomiOsaka has not recovered from the left leg injury she sustained in the second round of this tournament and will therefore have to withdraw from the quarterfinals scheduled for today."

Following her second round at the tournament, Osaka turned 28 on October 16; however, her birthday was far from ideal, as she spent her special day in the hospital due to the thigh injury. She also received a gift from her mother, Tamaki, three days ago for her birthday.

This isn't the first time Osaka has to walkover from a tournament because of injury. She faced a similar situation at the start of the 2025 season, pulling out of the ASB Classic final due to an injury.

When Naomi Osaka opened up about her ASB Classic final injury

Naomi Osaka started the ASB Classic on a strong note, defeating various players, including Hailey Baptiste and Alycia Parks to reach the finals of the tournament. However, she sustained an abdominal injury that forced her out of the final match against Clara Tauson.

After the first set of the final round, the 27-year-old had to retire mid-match, finishing as the runner-up. In the post-match press conference, she opened up about the unfortunate injury and also addressed questions about some of her personal superstitions. Expressing dismay over the unexpected end of the tournament, she said:

"Now that you mention it, I didn’t eat breakfast today so maybe that’s why I should stick to my superstitions.I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. I had a lot of fun playing here. I’m really sorry about how it ended. I hope you enjoyed the tennis that we did play, I’m just really grateful to be here," Naomi Osaka said.

Naomi Osaka faced the same fate as the ASB Classic at the Australian Open, as she had to retire from the third round against Belinda Bencic due to the same abdominal injury.

About the author

An English Honors graduate, Nancy is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering US Olympic sports. She has a total experience of 4 years, having previously worked as a Marketing Executive for BYJU’S before finding her footing at SK.

To deliver the best content, Nancy keeps herself updated by reading as much as possible about the athletes and the sport, and believes that researching and trusting credible sources is the key to reporting ethical and accurate information.

Track and Field events particularly interest Nancy, and she is a fan of Allyson Felix. While she cherished each of her victories, her favorite Olympic moment happens to be the retired athlete’s 10th medal at the Games.

Nancy believes that covering the personal lives and training sessions of the Olympic athletes, and showcasing old podcasts or interviews would help bridge the coverage gap of the sport in its off season.

When away from her keyboard, Nancy spends most of her free time reading books. She also writes poems and plans on publishing a book.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua