Naomi Osaka latest player out of Australian Open

Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka will not be competing in this year’s edition of the tournament.

A statement from the Slam’s official Twitter account said that she had “withdrawn”, giving no further detail.

There has been speculation about whether the 25-year-old will continue as a tennis player, having not played on tour since September 2022.

The former world No 1 is currently ranked at 42, having fallen out of the top 10 as long ago as October 2021. That had followed her now-notorious withdrawal from Roland-Garros, absence from Wimbledon, and failure to defend her US Open title, losing to eventual runner-up Leylah Fernandez in the third round.

She did, however, reach the Miami final last year, losing in straight sets to Iga Swiatek, 6-4, 6-0.

Osaka will be replaced in the main draw by Dayana Yastremska.

Osaka is the latest Grand Slam champion to pull out of the tournament, with seven-time singles winner Venus Williams and men’s world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz already absent.

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