In the recent events at the China Open, Naomi Osaka displayed great form before a back injury came in her way, leading her to retire from her match against Coco Gauff in the last-16 clash, who eventually went on to win the tournament. The former world No. 1, Osaka, now faces uncertainty regarding her participation in the rest of the season. This unfortunate injury has also caused her to pull out of the Japan Open.

After the injury, Gauff showed sportsmanship by assisting Osaka in carrying her bags off the court. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, has now missed out on playing in her hometown tournament in Osaka. The upcoming WTA 250 Japan Open, scheduled to start on October 14, will not feature Osaka due to her injury.

This season, it was only the third occasion where Osaka achieved three wins in a single tournament. Following her withdrawal from the China Open, Osaka posted a picture on social media showing herself in a hospital gown. Despite these setbacks, the 26-year-old has registered for the WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, taking place from October 21-27.

A significant change in Osaka’s team includes the appointment of Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, replacing Wim Fisette. Osaka has expressed some nerves around Mouratoglou, describing him as having a “big persona.” However, she mentioned that they are gradually becoming more comfortable working together day by day.