Naomi Osaka pulls out of Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo due to illness on Thursday
Japan’s Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Thursday due to illness.
The 23-year-old was scheduled to play in her second Grand Slam since breaking into the main draw at the French Open last year.
But Osaka cancelled the event after receiving a diagnosis of a viral infection, with the withdrawal announced only on Wednesday.
“After being diagnosed with a stomachache and consulting with my doctor, I have decided not to play in Tokyo on 6 September,” Osaka said in a statement.
“The withdrawal will not affect my Grand Slam chances in Paris beginning on 11 September. I would like to thank the ATP and WTA for their support during this difficult time.”
Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open at the last minute (Getty)
The top seeds, Ana Ivanovic and Kaia Kanepi, will play their first matches at the tournament.
Naomi Osaka and Kaia Kanepi advance to the second round of the Japan Open (AFP)
Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal comes less than a year after the world number one suffered a stress fracture to her left foot after a quarter-final at the Australian Open.
Her withdrawal has also put a further spanner in the works for the rest of the world No 1s after she was due to play Petra Kvitova and Petra Martic in the only round of the tournament left to be played.
The second-seeded Kvitova was in the bottom half of Kooyong’s draw when she claimed four first-round victories at the Korea Open last week.
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, who has not played since she defeated Kim and Caroline Garcia to reach the last eight at Wimbledon last month, said that she would welcome a return to action.
“I would like to return to competitive tennis,” Wozniacki said in a statement on Monday. “I am just playing around with my preparation, trying to feel great and not giving up.”
Björn Borg –