Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Japan Women’s Open quarterfinals after she could not recover from a leg problem. The top seed was set to play Jaqueline Cristian on Friday, but withdrew hours before the match. Osaka, who turned 28 this week, went to the hospital to deal with the injury that ended her run in her hometown event.
Why Did Naomi Osaka Withdraw from the Japan Women’s Open Quarterfinals?
The four-time Grand Slam winner began her Japan Women’s Open run with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Wakana Sonobe in the first round. Her second match against defending champion Suzan Lamens proved much tougher as she won 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-2 in a match that went on for 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Things took a bad turn in the final set when Osaka, who was leading 5-0, pulled up suddenly on her left leg, and asked for a medical timeout. Trainers wrapped her left thigh heavily before she came back to play with clearly limited movement on the court. She dropped the next two games but managed to win on her third match point with a backhand winner.
On October 17, Osaka’s withdrawal from the tournament was announced, just hours before her quarterfinal match. Cristian moved to the semifinals without playing after she previously beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 0-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the WTA event in Osaka due to a leg injury she sustained in her last match.
Jaqueline Cristian advances to the semifinals.
Wishing Naomi a quick recovery… she’s been playing some great tennis again lately.
🇯🇵❤️🩹 pic.twitter.com/c7MTiLl19Y
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 17, 2025
Due to the same injury, Osaka was forced to celebrate her 28th birthday in a local Japanese hospital, from where she uploaded sarcastic messages.
MORE: Naomi Osaka Reacts After Ending Up in a Hospital on Her Birthday
Osaka’s Injury Also Forced an Early Interview Exit
After winning her match against Lamens, Osaka had to stop her on-court interview early because of the unbearable pain. “It was definitely really difficult — I’m kind of sorry about my attitude,” she said before asking if she could leave because her leg was hurting badly.
Later in her press conference, Osaka still hoped she could keep playing. “I took Advils, so I think it feels better than what it is right now, but obviously it doesn’t feel good. I couldn’t really move that well. It’s not good, but I think I’m a fast healer, so it should be OK for my next match,” the Japanese said.
This withdrawal is a tough blow for Osaka, who was playing in Japan for the first time in three years and came right after reaching the US Open semifinals. Ranked 16th in the world, Osaka is next expected to play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.