Osaka follows Raducanu by signing up to new tournament despite injury setback

Posted by Admin October 15, 2024 Tennis

Osaka looked to be building some momentum in China when she reached the last 16 of the WTA 1000 in Beijing and took the first set over fourth seed Gauff. But she suddenly retired after dropping the second set.

The 26-year-old later revealed that she had doubted taking to the court at all after locking her back up ahead of the match. Osaka has since pulled out of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open and cast doubts over returning at next week’s WTA 500 in Tokyo.

In an Instagram story, the four-time Major winner wrote: “It was worse than what I thought (I just have a high pain tolerance lol) and I’m trying my best to potentially play Tokyo but I’m still waiting to see what the doctor says.”

However, Osaka doesn’t appear to be too negative about her recovery timeframe as she joined the field for the Hong Kong tournament, beginning on October 28. The tournament confirmed the news on Tuesday.

“Naomi Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, winning the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, and the US Open in 2018 and 2020,” they wrote on social media.

“As a new addition to a highly competitive field, she is also joined by rising star Diana Shnaider and world No. 38 Anastasia Potapova.”

Osaka isn’t the only one hoping to recover in time for the Hong Kong Tennis Open.

Raducanu has not played a match since retiring from her Korea Open quarter-final with a foot injury. She was spotted wearing a protective boot while leaving Korea and later pulled out of her next four tournaments.

The 21-year-old has been back in London and was recently spotted without the cast on her foot. And she’s now targeting Hong Kong for her return.

It would be Raducanu’s last outing on a match court before Britain’s quarter-final against Germany at next month’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The 2021 US Open champion won’t be the only Brit in the draw, as Katie Boulter is also set to play.

Former world No. 1 Simona Halep is in the Hong Kong field as she continues her comeback from a reduced doping ban. Defending champion Leylah Fernandez will be back to try and retain her crown.