OSAKA, Japan (AP)—Naomi Osaka pulled out of her quarterfinal match at the Japan Open on Friday because of a left leg injury.
Her withdrawal ahead of the match resulted in Jaqueline Cristian advancing to the semifinals on a walkover, the WTA Tour said.
🖥️📲 The Match in 15 Minutes: Naomi Osaka def. Suzan Lamens, Osaka 2R
Tournament organizers said top-seeded Osaka hadn’t recovered from the injury sustained late in her second-round match. It will be Cristian’s third semifinal appearance of the year and her first on a surface other than clay.
Before the injury, Osaka had wins over Wakana Sonobe and 2024 champion Suzan Lamens.
After splitting the first two sets with Lamens, Osaka took a 5-0 lead in the third. But during a rally with Lamens serving at 0-5 and 30-15, Osaka pulled up with an apparent issue with her left leg. She won the point after Lamens sent a backhand wide but requested a medical timeout after the next point.
