Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Auckland final before the Australian Open injured

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka withdrew from the ASB Classic final in Auckland on Sunday with an abdominal injury after winning the first set against Clara Tauson.

Playing in her first WTA final in almost three years, Osaka won the opening set 6-4 after surviving a late comeback from her Danish opponent.

But the four-time major champion player immediately took a medical timeout after converting her second set point.

After consulting with her coach, Osaka decided to retire with tears in her eyes as she shook hands with Tauson, who claimed her third career title and her first since 2021.

Injury concerns before Australian Open

Osaka’s withdrawal came as a shock after the 27-year-old showed no signs of pain or trouble in the 35-minute opening set.

The Japanese player, aiming for her first title since the 2021 Australian Open, played some powerful groundstrokes in the third and fifth games to break Tauson.

“I would like to thank everyone for welcoming me to such a beautiful city. “I had a lot of fun playing here and I’m really sorry about how it turned out,” said 57th-ranked Osaka.

“I hope you enjoyed the tennis we played and I’m really grateful to be here.”

The abdominal injury is a major blow for Osaka ahead of the Australian Open, which begins on January 12. Osaka is a two-time champion at the Melbourne Park Major, winning titles in 2019 and 2021.

Osaka was playing in the WTA 250 event in Auckland after a three-month layoff after suffering a back injury at the China Open that ended her 2024 season.

Her last appearance in a WTA final was at the Miami Open in 2022, when she lost to Iga Swiatek in the title match.

Osaka returned to competitive tennis exactly a year ago after a 15-month maternity break following the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023. She struggled for consistency last season but had played her best tennis in Auckland.

“Worst final”

Tauson, the first player from Denmark to win the Auckland title, was unhappy with her performance in the final.

“I felt like she reached an even higher level today, so I’m very sad about the end,” said 50th-ranked Tauson. “She is right to always put her health first.

“But emotionally it’s the worst final I’ve ever played because I can’t feel happy and I’m just sad about what happened.”

“Once I’ve processed this, I’ll obviously be very happy about my week,” she concluded.

Before the Auckland tournament, Osaka indicated she would hang up her racket if she fell short of her expectations.

“I don’t think I’m the type of player who hangs around,” Osaka told reporters at the time.

“I have a lot of respect for all the players on tour, but at the point in my life that I’m at right now, I can see myself not playing for a while unless I’m above a certain rank.

“I would rather spend time with my daughter when I’m not where I should be and where I feel like I can be.”