Naomi Osaka reveals extent of injury after cutting tennis season short

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has revealed the details of her injury, which forced her to cut her season short.

The former Women’s Tennis Association No. 1 player had to retire from her match against the U.S.’s Coco Gauff at the China Open on Oct. 1 due to what she initially believed was a back injury. Speaking in Tokyo on Sunday, Osaka shared that she thought she had only strained her back, but doctors found a bulged disc and ruptured abdominal muscles after she underwent an MRI scan in Beijing. As a result, she was forced to withdraw from her upcoming tournaments, including the Japan Open in Osaka, the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo and the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Malaga, Spain, in November, which would have been her final appearance of the season.

“I’ve played so many tournaments this year, so it was definitely the toughest decision to not play this and obviously not play BJK,” she said.

Meanwhile, she was recently spotted trying her hand at pickleball in Japan at her Play Academy, a foundation she created to help young girls receive grants and training in organized sports.