Naomi Osaka announced on Sunday in Tokyo that her season is effectively over, as she will not participate in next month’s Billie Jean King Cup finals due to an injury. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion revealed that she has ruptured abdominal muscles, marking a significant setback in her career.
“I thought I strained my back, but I did an MRI in Beijing, and they said that I bulged a disc in my back and I also ruptured abdominal muscles,” Osaka stated, as reported by Japan’s Kyodo News agency. This revelation comes after a series of unfortunate events for the athlete, who has been sidelined since she retired from her last-16 match at the China Open against eventual champion Coco Gauff at the beginning of the month.
Since that retirement, Osaka has pulled out of the Japan Open in Osaka and this week’s Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. The Billie Jean King Cup finals were meant to be the concluding event of her 2024 schedule. “I’ve played so many tournaments this year, so it was definitely the toughest decision to not play this and obviously not play BJK,” she reflected. “I really honestly enjoyed it so much, and I think it helped with my development as a player.”
The Billie Jean King Cup finals are set to take place in Malaga, Spain, from November 13 to 20. Osaka played a crucial role in helping Japan qualify for the finals in April, marking her first appearance in the competition since 2020. Her participation at the China Open was particularly noteworthy as it was her first tournament under the guidance of Patrick Mouratoglou, the renowned French coach who previously worked with Serena Williams.
Since making her return to tennis in January after the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023, Osaka has struggled to maintain consistency on the court. Her best results since her comeback have been two quarter-final appearances, underscoring the challenges she has faced in balancing motherhood with her professional commitments. As she takes this time to recover, the tennis world will be watching closely to see how she plans to regroup and return to form in the future.
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