Osaka search mission rattles Australian Open

1 year ago 74

By Chris De Silva and Zachary Gates

The Australian Open looks poised to beryllium stripped of different blockbuster drawcard arsenic officials effort desperately to find the playing status, and whereabouts, of two-time champion Naomi Osaka.

The Japanese ace remains connected the authoritative Australian Open introduction list, but she hasn't played since Tokyo's Pan Pacific Open successful September and isn't down to vie successful Adelaide oregon Hobart adjacent week.

She was tagged successful a photograph from a pilates workplace successful Los Angeles, but Tennis Australia officials are incapable to corroborate wherever she is.

Osaka took a intelligence wellness interruption aft skipping the Roland-Garros tourney of 2021, earlier revealing she'd been battling slump and anxiousness for respective years.

She pulled retired during the 2nd circular of the Pan Pacific Open owed to abdominal symptom and has won lone 2 of her past 9 matches.

Osaka conquered the Australian Open successful 2019 and 2021, and the US Open successful 2018 and 2020.

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'Lot of chaos' successful Osaka's head

This year's Australian Open introduction database is already missing reigning champion Ash Barty, seven-time victor Serena Williams and six-time victor Roger Federer, each of whom person retired successful the past 12 months.

After being deported connected the cusp of past year's Australian Open, Novak Djokovic is backmost successful the country and hunting a record-extending 10th rubric successful Melbourne.

Buoyed by reaching the 2022 Wimbledon final and the past 8 astatine the US Open, Nick Kyrgios is gunning for his maiden expansive slam title.

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