Naomi Osaka: Australian Open Return in Doubt Due to Illness

Naomi osaka is battling illness at the United Cup, impacting her performance as she prepares for the Australian Open.

PERTH, Australia – Four-time Grand Slam singles champion Naomi Osaka is under the weather as she competes at the United Cup.

Osaka Cites Illness After Loss at United Cup

The tennis star revealed she’s been dealing wiht health issues, affecting her performance in a recent match against Maria Sakkari.

After losing her first match for Japan against Greece’s Maria Sakkari on Friday, Osaka said she got “really sick” over the holiday period and wasn’t operating at 100% during the 6-4, 6-2 loss. Osaka, who advanced to the US Open semifinals last year, was coughing at times during the match and appeared to lack energy.

“I have been dealing with some health stuff, so I’m kind of just happy to be out hear right now,” osaka said. “It’s not serious, but I’m not operating at the percent that I want to be operating at, wich kind of sucks, because I had a really good offseason so I thought I was going to do really well here.”

• Osaka attributes her diminished performance to an illness contracted during the holidays.
• She believes she may have caught the illness from her 2-year-old daughter, Shai.
• Despite feeling unwell,Osaka remains optimistic about her recovery before the Australian Open.
• Stefanos Tsitsipas secured victory for Greece over japan in the match.

Did you know? – Naomi Osaka has won seven WTA singles titles and two Grand Slam titles on hard courts,including the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. Her powerful serve and aggressive baseline game make her a formidable opponent.

osaka suspects her 2-year-old daughter, Shai, might potentially be the source of her illness. “I’m at the tail end of that but still not amazing,” she explained.”I’m just trying to get better every day. I had a cough, a runny nose, like all that nasty stuff, so hopefully it goes away before the Australian Open.”

What is the start date of the Australian Open? The first Grand Slam event of the year is scheduled to begin in Melbourne on January 18.

Pro tip – Athletes frequently enough experience a dip in performance when recovering from illness. Prioritizing rest, hydration, and a gradual return to training is crucial for a full recovery and to prevent re-injury.

In other match action, Stefanos Tsitsipas wrapped up victory for Greece over Japan with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Shintaro Mochizuki.

Why: Naomi Osaka is experiencing a diminished performance due to an illness contracted during the holidays.
Who: Naomi Osaka, Maria Sakkari, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Shintaro Mochizuki were involved.
What: Osaka lost her match against Sakkari at the United Cup and is battling an illness. Tsitsipas secured a win for Greece against Japan.
How did it end?: Osaka lost her match 6-4, 6-2, attributing her performance to illness. Tsitsipas won his match 6-3, 6-4, clinching victory for Greece over Japan in the tie. Osaka is now focused on recovery before the Australian Open, which begins January 18th.