Thursday marked the end of Naomi Osaka’s title defence at the Pan Pacific Open when the former world number one withdrew from her second-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia due to gastrointestinal problems.
It was the most recent setback for the 24-year-old, who missed the whole grasscourt season due to an Achilles ailment and withdrew from her first-round match in Toronto due to a back issue in the lead-up to the U.S. Open.
“I am really sorry that I am not able to compete today,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion, who won the tournament when it was last held in 2019 in her hometown of Osaka.
“It’s an honour to be able to play at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in front of the amazing fans here in Japan. This has and always will be a special tournament for me and I wish I could have stepped on court today, but my body won’t let me.”
- Toronto Open: Naomi Osaka Retires Opener with Back Pain
- French Open: Novak Djokovic Wins While Osaka, Krejcikova dumped out
- Australian Open: Naomi Osaka Starts Title Defence With a Win
Haddad Maia will play either the fourth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova or the Mexican qualifier Fernanda Contreras Gomez in the quarterfinals.
