Injury-hit Osaka to miss Billie Jean King Cup finals, cutting her season short

Naomi Osaka's season seems to have concluded as she announced her withdrawal from next month's Billie Jean King Cup finals due to injury.

The four-time Grand Slam singles champion revealed in Tokyo on Sunday that she has suffered a rupture of her abdominal muscles.

"I initially thought I had strained my back, but after undergoing an MRI in Beijing, I was informed that I had a bulging disc in my back along with ruptured abdominal muscles," the 27-year-old stated, as reported by Japan's Kyodo News agency.

Osaka has been out of competition since she retired during her last-16 match at the China Open against the eventual champion, Coco Gauff, earlier this month.

She also withdrew from the Japan Open in Osaka and the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo this week. The Billie Jean King Cup finals were set to be the concluding event of her 2024 schedule.

"I have participated in numerous tournaments this year, making it an incredibly difficult decision to withdraw from this event and, of course, the BJK," she expressed.

"I genuinely enjoyed it and believe it contributed positively to my growth as a player."

The Billie Jean King Cup finals are scheduled to take place in Malaga, Spain, from November 13th to 20th.

Osaka played a pivotal role in Japan's victory over Kazakhstan in April, which secured their place in the finals, marking her first appearance in the Billie Jean King Cup since 2020.

Her participation in the China Open was her first tournament under the guidance of Patrick Mouratoglou, the renowned French coach previously associated with Serena Williams.

Since returning to tennis in January following the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023, she has faced challenges in maintaining consistency, with her best results being two quarter-final finishes.

SportsLigue