Naomi Osaka's battle with injury continues as Japanese withdraws from Billie Jean King Cup final to cut her season short
Naomi Osaka's season has come to a premature end due to injuries as she has officially withdrawn from the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Osaka was set to represent Japan at the tournament, played in Malaga, Spain, from November 13 to 20.
Osaka last featured on the WTA Tour at the China Open in Beijing. She had defeated Lucia Bronzetti, Yulia Putintseva and Katie Volynets before retiring in the middle of her fourth-round match against Coco Gauff due to injury on October 1. The former World No. 1 initially thought it was a back injury, but further assessments revealed a bigger issue.
An MRI scan showed Osaka had bulged a disc in her back and ruptured abdominal muscles. The recovery took longer than expected and has forced the Japanese star out of action since then. Osaka subsequently withdrew from her home tournament, the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, and is now officially out of the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
The four-time Grand Slam champion competed in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup qualifying round in April. Playing at the tournament for the first time since 2021, Osaka defeated Yulia Putintseva, helping Japan register a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan and a passage into the Finals stage.
The 27-year-old was initially set to travel to Malaga and represent Team Japan, alongside Moyuka Uchijima, Nao Hibino, Eri Hozumi, and Shuko Aoyama, but has now been replaced by Ena Shibahara in the Japanese roster. Shibahara, a doubles specialist and former World No. 4 in the category, has shifted her focus to singles in 2024 and risen to the top 150 in the singles ranking.
Japan will face off against Romania for a place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Romania will be represented by Jaqueline Cristian, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Ana Bogdan, Anca Todoni, and Monica Niculescu. The winner will face Jasmine Paolini-led Italy in the quarterfinals.
Naomi Osaka disappointed after pulling out of Billie Jean King Cup Finals 2024
Naomi Osaka recently spoke to Kyodo News Agency about her injury troubles and difficult decision to end her season early. Osaka noted that playing a full season was a positive for her and stepping back from her national duty was an incredibly tough decision. She added that playing at the Billie Jean King Cup was always a good experience and credited the tournament helping her development.
"I've played so many tournaments this year, so it was definitely the toughest decision to not play this and obviously not play BJK. I really honestly enjoyed it so much, and I think it helped with my development as a player," Osaka said.
Since returning from maternity leave at the start of 2024 season, Naomi Osaka has played a full schedule without any break. She was given one tough draw after another on the tour but did well to reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open and fourth rounds at Italian Open and China Open. The results saw her climb to World No. 59 on the WTA ranking.