Naomi Osaka pulls out of Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo due to illness on Thursday.
Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo due to an illness on Thursday. The tournament in Osaka started on Oct. 12 and concludes on Oct. 30. Osaka’s withdrawal puts the spotlight on World No. 6 Madison Keys, who is fighting to keep her spot at the top of the rankings after an up-and-down season.
In her second week on her return to full fitness, Osaka, a two-time Wimbledon champion who came in a distant last at the Australian Open, withdrew from this week’s tournament in Tokyo. Osaka was scheduled to play alongside Caroline Wozniacki, the world No. 1, Venus Williams and Timea Bacsinszky. Bacsinszky won the tournament last season. Williams did not qualify. The rest of the quarterfinalist were Kiki Bertens, Carine Gordini and Sania Mirza.
Key has been trying to keep her career consistent and maintained a high level of form through her injury-marred season. The 32-year-old has a 12-6 match record, including an 8-0 mark at this week’s tournament, and a 3-2 lifetime mark in Grand Slams.
“I started really getting hurt at the end of last season, so I didn’t think about playing,” Key told reporters in San Francisco on Monday.
“Every year is different. I’ve really gone through a lot of stuff this year. Last year, I had a surgery on my right pectoral muscle. I didn’t feel it was going to be a long recovery, but since then I’ve been working really hard on my right arm. I’m back in training now, and am really feeling it and can play well. I haven’t had much time to recover, so I feel like I’m ready and I’m just going to keep playing.”
If she doesn’t get a call up from the U.S. Fed Cup team, she could be the fourth American in the main draw.
Key has struggled over the past month and a half, with two straight losses to Agnieszka Radwanska in the WTA and a 6-4, 7-6 (3), 6-1 loss to eventual finalist