OSAKA, Japan – Tennis player Naomi Osaka was forced to withdraw from the Japan Open on Friday due to a left leg injury.
This decision, which was made before her quarterfinal match, granted Jaqueline Cristian a place in the semifinals, according to WTA Tour.
The tournament organizers explained that Osaka, who was the top seed, failed to recover from the injury suffered in the final stretch of her second-round match.
For Cristian, this will be his third appearance in the semifinals so far this year, and the first on a surface other than clay.
Before the injury, Osaka had achieved victories over Wakana Sonobe and the 2024 champion, Suzan Lamens. After splitting the first two sets with Lamens, Osaka took a 5-0 lead in the third. However, during an exchange with Lamens, Osaka felt discomfort in her left leg.
Although she won the point after Lamens sent a backhand wide, she requested a medical timeout after the next point. Osaka, winner of four Grand Slam titles, returned to the court with her left thigh bandaged and with limitations in her mobility, but managed to close out the match on her third match point.
Osaka also suffered defeats in the second round of the China Open at the end of September and in the Wuhan Open last week.
In another quarterfinal match of the Japan Open, Leylah Fernandez, finalist of the 2021 US Open, defeated Rebecca Šramková with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-3.
