Due to a leg ailment sustained during her second-round match, Naomi Osaka has been forced to withdraw from the Japan Open before her quarter-final match on Friday.
The former top-ranked player fought back tears and relied on pain medication to secure a three-set victory against defending champion Suzan Lamens in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
Osaka, the tournament’s top seed, played the match with wrapping on her left thigh. She was scheduled to compete against Jaqueline Cristian in the quarter-finals, but the Romanian player will now advance to the semi-finals instead.
The Japan Open announced the withdrawal on X, stating: “We regret to inform you that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury incurred during the second round of this tournament and has therefore withdrawn from today’s scheduled quarter-finals.”
It remains uncertain whether Osaka will participate in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo later this month.
The four-time Grand Slam champion is the most recent prominent player to encounter late-season injury or health problems.
In September, Iga Swiatek voiced concerns that the season is “excessively long and intense” following a series of injuries among players at the China Open.
British number one Emma Raducanu ended her season prematurely on Thursday after withdrawing from her two previous matches due to illness.
Daria Kasatkina of Australia, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, and Paula Badosa of Spain have also concluded their seasons early in recent weeks, citing either injury or a significant need for a break from the tour.
Across two tournaments held in China last week, a total of five players were forced to retire due to injury.
