Osaka didn’t use this week’s Eastbourne as her final preparation for Wimbledon.
Naomi Osaka may be out of Eastbourne but her fans don’t have a reason to worry because the Japanese tennis star reportedly withdrew from the tournament only due to “precautionary reasons” and not because of an injury, via James Gray of British newspaper i.
At this week’s WTA 500 tournament in Eastbourne, Osaka was slated to play at the British grass event for the first time since 2017 but that fell apart after she pulled out before the tournament’s draw. Since Wimbledon is starting next Monday, the four-time Grand Slam champion’s sudden Eastbourne withdrawal left some fearing that she contracted an injury and maybe wouldn’t be able to compete at The Championships for the first time since 2019.
But now everything is clear regarding Osaka’s withdrawal as the former world No. 1 simply skipped Eastbourne due to “a change in schedule” and she should be good to go when Wimbledon kicks off.
How Osaka’s grass season has gone so far?
Before deciding not to play in Eastbourne, Osaka was a quarterfinalist on the grass courts of ‘s-Hertogenbosch and she also lost in the Berlin first round last week.
Two weeks ago in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Osaka wasn’t only starting her grass season but also played a grass event for the first time in five years. It went pretty well, with Osaka beating Elise Mertens and Suzan Lamens before losing to Bianca Andreescu in a really tight three-setter.
In ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Osaka was very happy with how she was looking on grass and even said she was hoping to win her first grass title this summer.
“Hopefully to win a tournament. That’s a long term project. I just hope I continue to play well and be healthy,” Osaka said at the tournament.
After doing well in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Osaka didn’t manage to do well in Berlin last week since she lost to Zheng Qinwen in the first round.
Next stop for Osaka will be Wimbledon, where she only twice made the third round.
For those confused as to why Naomi Osaka is not in the Eastbourne draw, I’m told she withdrew in advance due to a “change in schedule” rather than any injury scare.
Wimbledon participation not in doubt, at this point.
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) June 24, 2024