Naomi Osaka will be out for the rest of the 2024 tennis season due to injuries to her lower back and abdominal muscles. The Japanese player will focus on recovery and preparing for the 2025 tournaments in Australia.
Osaka will miss the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Spain next month as she continues to recover from a back injury sustained at the China Open earlier this month. She last played on October 1, retiring from her match against Coco Gauff due to the injury.
Osaka had to withdraw from the Japan Open and the Pan Pacific Open due to the injury. She now faces another setback as she withdraws from the team competition in Malaga, ending her 2024 season prematurely.
“I thought I strained my back, but I did an MRI in Beijing,” Osaka said, “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.”
Osaka mentioned that it was a tough decision to skip the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. She is currently ranked 56th after returning from a maternity leave at the beginning of the 2024 season. (source: ESPN, photo: Jimmie48)
