BNP Paribas Open: Naomi Osaka, who said at the U.S. Open that she planned to take a break from tennis, has officially pulled out of next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
BNP Paribas Open: The withdrawal was announced by the official Twitter feed for the hard-court tournament in California, which tweeted: “We look forward to seeing you in 2022, Naomi Osaka.”
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The event is scheduled for October 4-17 after twice being delayed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The four-time grand slam champion, who has previously been ranked number one, has slipped to eighth.
2018 Champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from #BNPPO21.
We look forward to seeing you in 2022, Naomi 💚🌴 pic.twitter.com/Sz6tCZ7wdI
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) September 22, 2021
Naomi Osaka’s last match on tour was at Flushing Meadows on September 3, when her title defence ended with a third-round loss to eventual runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
Naomi Osaka, a 23-year-old who was born in Japan and now is based in the US, took time off earlier this season with a mental health break that began when she withdrew from the French Open before her second-round match.
Also read: WTA Rankings: Former World No 1 Naomi Osaka out of Top 5 after poor run amid mental health struggle
BNP Paribas Open: She also sat out Wimbledon, then returned for the Tokyo Olympics, where she lit the cauldron during the opening ceremony.
“I feel like for me, recently, when I win, I don’t feel happy, I feel more like a relief. And then when I lose, I feel very sad,” Osaka said at her news conference after her loss to Fernandez in New York.
“I don’t think that’s normal.”
Naomi Osaka won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in 2018.
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