Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka had a disappointing start to the new year, withdrawing from the third round of the Australian Open and failing to guide Team Japan past the group stage at the United Cup. During the Australian Open, Osaka faced criticism for her grunting during matches, which even led to a brief altercation with Sorana Cirstea after their second-round match.
Now, the Japanese star has hit out at podcasters who had varying opinions on grunting, calling it unsportsmanlike. “I laugh when people that don’t know anything about tennis start a podcast about tennis. What do you mean grunting is unsportsmanlike, and it gives you the ick? Watch a different sport lol!” Osaka wrote in her social media post.
Furthermore, the two-time Australian Open champion made a stark announcement: she and her good friend Taylor Townsend are going to start their own podcast without any filters on their opinions. “Me and @tay_taytownsend are gonna start a podcast. We would get canceled after the first episode though #nofilter.”
The World No. 15 has struggled to retrieve her rhythm on court since coming back from her pregnancy and mental health-related hiatus. Her best result since welcoming son Shai in July 2023 came last year when she reached the US Open semifinals. Osaka addressed her underlying health issues after her withdrawal from the Australian Open.
“I definitely have to do more tests, and coming back from pregnancy, my body has changed quite a lot. This is something I have to be really cautious of… I was so excited to keep going, and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart, but I can’t risk doing any further damage, so I can get back on the court,” Osaka said.
Naomi Osaka’s Injury Concerns Remain as She Withdraws from the Dubai Open
The two-time US Open champion skipped the Qatar Open to play at the Dubai Open starting February 16. Now, Osaka has announced her withdrawal from the Dubai Open as well, which has fueled further injury concerns for the tennis star. With the latest withdrawal announcement and not playing any WTA tournaments starting on February 23, Osaka will go the entire month without playing any matches.
The 28-year-old is next scheduled to play at the prestigious Indian Wells event (WTA 1000), which starts on March 2. With all the top names having given their approval to play in the tournament, it will not be easy for the Japanese star, provided she recovers from her injuries in time.
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