A shoulder injury has forced Naomi Osaka to withdraw from the 2019 WTA Finals in Shenzhen. The world number three beat Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7-1),4-6,6-4 and was set to play Ashleigh Barty in her second match before the unexpected happened. Kiki Bertens replaced her in the Red Group.
Appearing before the press, she expressed her disappointment following an early exit from the WTA Finals in Shenzhen. The Japanese tennis player said, “I’m disappointed to have to withdraw from The Finals. It has been a great event in Shenzhen, and it’s the biggest WTA event of the year. This is not how I wanted to end this tournament or my season.
I look forward to getting healthy and hope to be back here in Shenzhen next year.”
Speaking about her injury
The 22-year-old also shared a brief history about her now serious shoulder injury. She admitted to having first felt some discomfort in her shoulder while playing world number one Ashleigh Barty in the China Open. After her win, she took some time off the court before facing Petra Kvitová in the WTA Finals in Shenzhen. She played the Czech Republic tennis player after only two days of serving, but that did not prevent her from winning her first group match.
“I injured my shoulder like five years ago or something, but not, like, heavy. It was in Thailand when I was like 17 or something. It wasn’t that big of a deal. I just had to rest it. I’m hoping it’s more like that.”
“Felt better, came here, then I played my match. I felt it immediately.“When I woke up, it was throbbing and stuff.” She had no otherwise, but to withdraw from the ongoing WTA Finals in Shenzhen.
Despite her shoulder injury, Naomi Osaka is still hopeful that she will not be sidelined past this tournament. In her statement, she said, “It doesn’t feel like it’s anything more serious than muscular. It’s just a little bit painful. Definitely, I don’t think it’s something that I would immediately need surgery for.”
Naomi Osaka’s Fine Run This Year
So far so good for Naomi Osaka who has been able to come back from 8 tough months without clinching any title. Since that poor run, she has won eleven successive matches after securing back-to-back titles at the Pan Pacific and Beijing Opens.
The Japanese told CNN the secret to her latest exemplary performances in tennis. “I think (my) mindset. I think I’m more confident in myself than I was before. Before I would have had a little bit of self-doubt, which I still do, but this time, not as much.” Her secret has paid off pretty well. Currently, she is ranked number three in the WTA rankings.
Osaka in Shenzhen, ranking, and results in 2019
Ranked no.3, Osaka has a 40-11 win-loss record in 2019. Osaka is playing at the moment in Shenzhen where she toppled Petra Kvitova 7-61 4-6 6-4.
Naomi Osaka |
| Embed from Getty Images |
