Naomi Osaka pulls out of Wimbledon: ‘My Achilles still isn’t right’

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Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will not compete at Wimbledon later this month due to an Achilles injury, she announced Saturday morning.

On Twitter, she wrote “my Achilles still isn’t right so I’ll see you next time.” In an Instagram post that included a photo and a video of her undergoing treatment on her injured heel, Osaka wrote “there goes my grass dreams.”

Osaka, 24, suffered the injury during the first round of the Madrid Open when she comfortably beat Anastasia Potapova, 6-3, 6-1. She lost in straight sets in the second round and then withdrew from the Italian Open in May. She returned to play in the French Open later that month, but lost 7-5, 6-4 to Amanda Anisimova in the first round.

After her early exit from the French Open, Osaka said she wasn’t sure if she’s play at Wimbledon. But instead of citing her Achilles injury as the reason, Osaka said the ATP and WTA joint decision not to award ranking points at the tournament left her with less motivation to participate.

“I’m not 100 percent sure if I’m going to go there,” Osaka said of Wimbledon, via ESPN. “I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but, like at the same time for me, it’s kind of like — I don’t want to say pointless, no pun intended, but I’m the type of player that gets motivated by, like, seeing my ranking go up or like, you know, stuff like that.

“I’m not sure why but, like, I feel like if I play Wimbledon without points, it’s more like an exhibition. I know this isn’t true, right? But my brain just, like, feels that way. Whenever I think something is like an exhibition, I just can’t go at it 100 percent.”

On Friday, former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard said WTA’s decision not to award ranking points was the reason for her withdrawal

Osaka won twice at the Australian Open and twice at the U.S. Open. She has never advanced past the third round at Wimbledon.





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