The two-time Australian Open champion, Naomi Osaka, withdrew from participating in the tournament, a week before the start of the competition, the organization announced on Sunday.
“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. She will be missed at AO2023,” the organization said on Twitter.
No reason was given for the Japanese tennis player’s departure, and the withdrawal represents another blow to the Australian Open after men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz missed the event with a right leg injury.
American Venus Williams will also be out of the tournament after suffering an injury last week at the WTA tournament in Auckland.
Melbourne’s 2019 and 2021 champion Osaka has not played a competitive match since withdrawing from a tournament in Tokyo in September with abdominal pain, slipping to 42nd in the women’s tennis world rankings.
Source: TSF
