Naomi Osaka declared Friday that she would "for sure" play her first-round match at the Australian Open after suffering an abdominal injury last week.
The Japanese star reached her first final since 2022 last week in Auckland, only to retire injured after winning the first set against Denmark's Clara Tauson.
"In that moment it was devastating," admitted two-time Australian Open champion Osaka, a former world number one. "It just sucked because I felt like my body wasn't keeping up with what my mind wanted it to do.
"Obviously I was very concerned about my chances playing here," Osaka told reporters at Melbourne Park, where the first Grand Slam of the year begins on Sunday.
Osaka said she had undergone a scan to determine the extent of the injury, with mixed results.
"The MRI, it wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't bad at the same time. I'm pretty optimistic about playing my match. I mean, for sure I'm going to play my match. I've been practising pretty well for the two days that I've been here, so it seems to be going good."
Osaka took a 15-month break to give birth to her first child in 2023 and returned to the circuit 12 months ago.
Now ranked 50th, Osaka won two of her four Grand Slam titles to date at Melbourne Park in 2019 and 2021.
She has been drawn to face France's 58th-ranked Caroline Garcia in a repeat of last year's first-round clash that the French player won.
Osaka admitted it had been tough to come back to tennis postpartum, and she was still feeling her way.
"After giving birth, it was definitely really tough to even run," the 27-year-old said. "I do understand why it's very difficult to even get (back) to a professional level. There is no guidebook. But you kind of just go off what your body says."
© 2025 AFP
18 Comments
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Hawk
Good luck to her, but I don't see her going deep in this tournament.
Tokyo Guy
Good luck to her, but I don't see her going deep in this tournament.
There's precedent of a player falling down the rankings and then coming back to win majors. Agassi did it. So while I agree in principle, she might surprise people. Or not.
TBH, I would think she's most concerned about having to talk to the Japanese press after every match she wins.
"Do you identify as Japanese? But you are black!"
"Can you use chopsticks?"
"What is your favourite Japanese cartoon character?"
"I hear you broke up with your boyfriend. Can you show us purikura pictures of you two?"
Hawk
True. I was thinking more about her injury. An inconclusive MRI to an injury that saw her pulling out of a final she was winning only a week or two ago. Also, her first up match is against a similarly ranked opponent, 58th to Osaka's 50. If she wins, her next match would be soon after.
Hawk
Hopefully she proves me wrong.
Tokyo Guy
True. I was thinking more about her injury. An inconclusive MRI to an injury that saw her pulling out of a final she was winning only a week or two ago. Also, her first up match is against a similarly ranked opponent, 58th to Osaka's 50. If she wins, her next match would be soon after.
Yes, it's a tough one to call for sure either way. She's 27 now, which these days is sort of middle aged in tennis terms. Maybe still young enough to heal fast enough to keep going, assuming she gets through the first match.
Blacklabel
Oh boy. Here comes another quarterfinal or earlier exit, probably with an injury again.
Tokyo Guy
Oh boy. Here comes another quarterfinal or earlier exit, probably with an injury again.
A quarterfinal would be a pretty decent result for her, all things considered. She's not seeded.
And she can't hold a candle to Emma Raducanu in the "I hurt my pinkie, I'm going to quit this tournament and fire my coach" stakes.
Toblerone
And she can't hold a candle to Emma Raducanu in the "I hurt my pinkie, I'm going to quit this tournament and fire my coach" stakes.
Whataboutism. Always very persuasive.
Tokyo Guy
Whataboutism. Always very persuasive.
That's not whataboutism.
Blacklabel suggested that Osaka may pull out injured - which is possible given her recent issues with injury. I merely added context to it by mentioning that Osaka, unlike Raducanu, is not a prima donna who fires coaches left, right and centre, and is more interested in being a "personality" than a genuine sportsperson.
Whataboutism would be if I invoked a subject entirely unrelated to tennis and used that.
Tokyo Guy
And just to add to the above, there's only ten places difference between them right now: Osaka is ranked 50, Raducanu is ranked 60, but I doubt that there are many informed tennis analysts who think that Raducanu is a serious contender at the Australian.
timeon
Tokyo Guy, Emma had 3 surgeries in 2023, I wouldn't really call that a pinkie injury.
I don't really understand all the negativity against elite sport players who have been struggling with various problems and work their butt off to climb back to the top. What's wrong with "Good luck, do your best"?
Blacklabel
oddly that’s exactly how I would describe Naomi Osaka.
She even fired her rapper boyfriend like it’s his fault lol
robert maes
Truth is she does not put in the 100 % work. Physically or mentally.
there is more than a touch of laziness and she seems to practice excuses before every tournament.
mid it’s an abdominal injury, she will not be able to play more than 3 matches and even a long 3setter can mean redrawing again
Toblerone
I doubt that there are many informed tennis analysts who think that Raducanu is a serious contender at the Australian.
As if Osaka is. We know already pretty much how it is going to go, don’t we.
Toblerone
Whataboutism would be if I invoked a subject entirely unrelated to tennis and used that.
Huh? What claptrap. You said, in effect, “What about Raducanu?” That is whataboutism and everyone knows it.
Tokyo Guy
As if Osaka is. We know already pretty much how it is going to go, don’t we.
I'd put a decent bet on it, then, if you know what's going to happen.
I don't think she's going to win it outright, for sure. I don't really have strong feelings about her either way. I'm going on her current ranking and previous career. She has won four slams, so we're not talking about a one hit wonder here.
I think Blacklabel might be right: quarterfinals, probably no further.
But I won't personally be particularly bothered whether she loses in the first or wins the whole thing. I don't really go into fanboying, and the player I most enjoyed watching is long retired.
toolonggone
Gotta love comments like this. As if the poster has some personal insight into her mind and training sessions.
Toblerone
As if the poster has some personal insight into her mind and training sessions.
At this point we do.