Concerning signs for Naomi Osaka as Japanese withdraws from Japan Open after China Open injury

Naomi Osaka has been forced to pull out from the upcoming Japan Open. The former World No. 1's withdrawal comes in the wake of a back injury that she suffered during her campaign at the recently concluded China Open in Beijing, where she retired in the fourth round.

At the China Open, Osaka's first Asian swing tournament following her return to tennis earlier in the season, the Japanese player reached the fourth round and faced eventual champion Coco Gauff. While Gauff was the favorite on paper, it was the four-time Major winner who clinched the first set 6-3. However, Osaka, seemingly struggling with an injury, lost the second set 4-6 before deciding to retire citing a back problem.

The Japanese player later announced on Instagram that the problem had first surfaced during a practice session ahead of her match against Gauff. She also said that it got worse as the match went on.

"Hi everyone just wanted to say I’m extremely thankful and happy to have played in Beijing. That being said I feel like I owe a little backstory about today- So I locked my back up during practice earlier and honestly wasn’t sure if I could even play but I just wanted to try, unfortunately things just got progressively worse during the match. Totally worth it though lol," Naomi Osaka wrote in a now-expired Instagram Story.

On Monday, October 7, the official website of the Japan Open released a brief statement confirming Naomi Osaka's absence from the upcoming Japan Open, a WTA 250 event scheduled to run from October 14 to 20.

"We would like to inform you that Naomi Osaka (Japan/Freelance), who was scheduled to participate in the women's tournament of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships 2024, will be unable to participate due to injury," the statement read.

Osaka is yet to share any update regarding her participation at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo that will commence on October 21.

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Naomi Osaka got some assistance from Coco Gauff while leaving the court at the China Open after sustaining a back injury

Coco Gauff (L) helping Naomi Osaka (R) carry her bags after the Japanese player's mid-match retirement in the fourth round at the 2024 China Open (Source: Getty)

Coco Gauff showed her compassionate side following Naomi Osaka's mid-match retirement during the pair's fourth-round clash at the 2024 China Open. In an exemplary show of sportsmanship, the 2023 US Open champion offered to help Osaka in carrying her tennis bags out of the court.

After the pair exchanged a few words, the former World No. 1 agreed though she insisted on carrying one of the bags herself. The crowd in attendance applauded the heartwarming moment.

Osaka is currently ranked World No. 58 and has a 22-17 win-loss record this season.