Naomi Osaka will not be playing in the Cincinnati main draw this year after being unexpectedly defeated by Ashlyn Krueger in the qualifying final round.
After defeating Anna Blinkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 on Sunday, former world No. 1 Osaka made her first qualifying appearance since 2018.
However, today’s match saw the four-time Grand Slam champion lose 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 against world No. 82 Krueger, preventing her from winning back-to-back matches in just over an hour and a half of play.
Even though Osaka had a 3-1 lead in the third set, she was inconsistent and could not proceed. Her persistent problems with the game were brought to light during the match, notably a low first serve percentage and trouble maintaining a high level of play.
The defeat has sparked debates over Osaka’s current form and ability to compete at the highest level. Some have expressed disappointment, while others have emphasized that sports are competitive and that there is always space for improvement.
Osaka has reached her limit of Grand Slam events that she can enter with the protected ranking after maternity leave. As a result, she will either need a wild card or have to play qualifying once more in order to get into the US Open main draw in 2024.
Naomi Osaka in 2024
Ranked world no.95, the Japanese played her last match on the 12th of August when she surrendered to world no.82 Ashlyn Krueger 6-3 2-6 6-3 in the qualifications in Cincinnati (draw).
At present, during this year Naomi has managed to achieve an overall 18-16 win-loss record.
Naomi Osaka will take on Anna Danilina in the . In the past, they have never played each other until now in top events.
Naomi won 7 titles in her career: all of them conquered on hard courts. (See the list of her titles)
Naomi Osaka |
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