Naomi Osaka ends season due to injury

Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka will not be seen in action again this year after she pulled out of next month’s Billie Jean King Cup finals in Spain due to injury.

Osaka suffered a back injury during the WTA China Open and subsequently pulled out from tournaments in Osaka and this week’s Toray Pan Pacific in Tokyo. 

“I thought I strained my back, but I did an MRI in Beijing,” Osaka said as per Kyodo News Agency in Tokyo. “They said I bulged a disc in my back and I also ruptured abdominal muscles. I was practicing in Los Angeles in order to play here. I took another MRI and it said I still have tears.

“I’ve played so many tournaments this year, so it was the toughest decision to not play this and not play BJK.”

Osaka returned to the tour in January after giving birth to her daughter last year. The four-time Grand Slam champion has climbed to No 56 in the rankings.

She has recently started working with Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou after parting ways with Wim Fissette, the Belgian coach who has now joined Iga Swiatek’s camp as coach.

Osaka is expected to return to the tour in in January in Australia, where she has won the Australian Open twice in the past.

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