Naomi Osaka retired from the final of the Auckland Classic with an abdominal injury on Jan 5, a blow to the Japanese star just a week before the start of the Australian Open.
Playing in her first WTA final for three years, against Denmark's Clara Tauson, the four-time Grand Slam champion called for the physiotherapist after taking the opening set 6-4 and pulled out shortly afterwards.
Osaka's withdrawal from the Australian Open warm-up event came as a shock after playing with no apparent problem in the 35-minute first set, unleashing powerful groundstrokes to break her opponent in the third and fifth games.
At the changeover, the 27-year-old stood and performed a series of stretches during a medical timeout. After consulting the trainer, she shook the hand of Tauson, who picked up a third career title and her first since 2021.
Osaka did not divulge details of what forced her withdrawal in a short courtside interview.
However, in a statement, the WTA said that she retired "due to an abdominal injury".
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 06, 2025-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 06, 2025-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Victoria!
Ein Hofwagen und seine bewegte Geschichte A Court Carriage and its Colourful History
Disney's LinaBell Wins Hearts in China
Each week, whenever she has time off from her marketing job, Ms Ida Jia can be found at Shanghai Disneyland, queueing for hours to spend a few minutes with LinaBell, a fluffy pink fox character with big blue eyes.
Missing actor found near Myanmar border
A Chinese actor who went missing near Thailand's border with Myanmar has been found, the Thai authorities said, as they sought to contain the fallout of the incident on the nation's vital tourism industry.
TV Networks Drop Smap's Masahiro Nakai Over Sex-Crime Allegations
Major TV networks have distanced themselves from one of Japan's biggest 1990s boy band stars, after media reports said he paid a woman a large settlement related to alleged sexual misconduct.
Girls' Generation's Taeyeon to perform in Singapore
South Korean singer Taeyeon, a member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, has a new concert tour for 2025, which will make a stop in Singapore.
American Millionaire's Blueprint for Longevity
Bryan Johnson, subject of the documentary Don't Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever, says Singaporean Chuando Tan's agelessness shows what biology is capable of
The Substance director not surprised by Demi Moore's late-career comeback
Demi Moore's Golden Globe Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy win for The Substance has, almost overnight, transformed the 1990s megastar into a seemingly unlikely favourite for the Oscars.
Better Man and Count Of Monte Cristo are electrifying tales
Britpop superstar Robbie Williams is a walking, talking, singing chimpanzee in an autobiography of his childhood through his three decades in the music industry, breaking away from the 1990s boy band Take That for solo success.
TV adaptation honours Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magic
This first eight-episode season landed on Netflix in mid-December, with a puzzling lack of marketing.
In Stranger Eyes, the voyeur becomes the viewed
Film-maker Yeo Siew Hua asks heavy questions with a light touch in the crime story
