Naomi Osaka out of Billie Jean King Cup finals due to injury

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will miss next month's Billie Jean King Cup finals in Spain due to injury. She said in Tokyo on Sunday that she had ruptured abdominal muscles.

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Osaka's stomach muscles had been torn

The 27-year-old revealed on Sunday that her stomach muscles had also been torn. “I thought I strained my back, but I did an MRI in Beijing and they said that I bulged a disc in my back and I also ruptured abdominal muscles,” 

Osaka, currently ranked 58th, suffered a lower back injury and retired during her round-of-16 match against Coco Gauff at the China Open in October. Subsequently, she withdrew from two tournaments in Japan, including the Pan Pacific Open, which starts on Monday.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Málaga, Spain from November 13-20. Osaka played a key role in helping Japan qualify for the final by defeating Kazakhstan in April, its first Billie Jean King Cup appearance since 2020.

“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.” She said.

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Osaka will focus on Australian Open

Osaka will now focus on preparing for the Australian Open in January, working with respected French coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Her appearance at the China Open was her first tournament under Patrick Mouratoglou, the Frenchman best known for being the long-time former coach of Serena Williams.

Osaka has struggled for consistency since returning to tennis in January after the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023. Her best results since becoming a parent have been two quarter-final appearances.