Naomi Osaka pulls out of home tournament after spending birthday in hospital

Naomi Osaka has been forced to pull out of one of her home tournaments, the Japan Open in Osaka, after picking up a leg injury in her previous match. The former world No. 1 was close to tears as she battled through to beat defending champion Suzan Lamens in three sets on Wednesday.

Osaka then spent her 28th birthday in the hospital and was set to face Jaqueline Cristian in Friday’s quarter-final. But tournament organisers announced her withdrawal on social media.

“We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today,” they wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The four-time Grand Slam champion needed painkillers to get through her second-round clash with Lamens, and finished the match with her thigh heavily strapped up.

On Thursday, as she celebrated her 28th birthday, Osaka shared a series of photos from the hospital. The Japanese star wore a mask and gown in one snap, and showed her bandaged thigh in another photo. “Happy birthday?” she wrote, with a crying-laughing emoji.

The current world No. 16 is signed up to compete in next week’s Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, and the Hong Kong Tennis Open in the final week of the season.

But it’s not known whether Osaka will be able to play in either tournament, and her season could be over.

Emma Raducanu has already been forced to end her season early due to health issues. The British No. 1 had her vitals checked in her last two matches and was forced to retire in the first round of the recent Wuhan Open. It’s understood she was playing through illness.

Elina Svitolina, Paula Badosa and Daria Kasatkina have also ended their 2025 seasons early. Svitolina shut it down following Ukraine’s Billie Jean King Cup loss, while Badosa is still struggling with injury setbacks.