“I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it, I just wasn’t able to today" - Naomi Osaka on her injury
Naomi Osaka retired from her opening match against Kaia Kanepi at the Canadian Open in Toronto on Tuesday due to a back injury.
The former World No. 1, trailing Kanepi 7-6(4), 3-0, had to call it quits as she couldn't pull through to the end of the match. In a competitive first set featuring two medical timeouts, Osaka rallied from a break down and saved a set point in the 12th game.
However, Kanepi converted her second set point in the ensuing tie-break to streak ahead. The Estonian veteran then reeled off three straight games before Osaka threw in the towel.
🇪🇪 @KanepiKaia goes through to face Muguruza in Round 2 at #NBO22 after Osaka is forced to retire through injury.
Final score: 7-6(4), 3-0, ret.
Wishing you a swift recovery, @naomiosaka! 🙏 https://t.co/pxKICAPtBn
Explaining her injury, the 24-year-old said that she felt something in her back from the start of the match.
“I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it, I just wasn’t able to today," said Osaka. "I’d like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
Naomi Osaka after retiring with back injury: “I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying my best to push through it I just wasn’t able to today. I’d like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
Kanepi, 37, is coming off a surprise run to the Washington final. The World No. 31 has now improved her head-to-head to 2-0 against Osaka after winning the pair's first meeting at the US Open five years ago. She'll take on Garbine Muguruza on Wednesday for a place in the Round of 16.
Naomi Osaka's 2022 season so far
Naomi Osaka has had an injury-plagued 2022 campaign so far, winning only 13 of her 20 matches.
She won her first three matches of the season, making the semis at the Melbourne Summer Set, before her title defense at the Australian Open ended in the third round.
Following an early exit in Indian Wells, Osaka made the final in Miami, losing to top seed Iga Swiatek but returned to the top 50. After an early exit in Madrid, the Japanese pulled out of Rome with a foot injury.
Osaka returned to action at Roland Garros but lost in the first round. She didn't play the grasscourt swing, pulling out of Wimbledon citing personal reasons. Returning to the tour at the Citi Open, Osaka lost to Coco Gauff in the second round before retiring from her Canadian Open opener because of a back injury.
It's unclear if she'll be fit in time to play at Cincinnati next week and the US Open later this month.