Tennis star Naomi Osaka has to end her gold hopes at the Olympic Games in Tokyo surprisingly early.
The world number two retired on Tuesday after a false start in the round of 16 against the Czech Marketa Vondrousova with a 1: 6, 4: 6 defeat.
In her third appearance, Osaka started weakly with numerous unforced errors and did not find her usual level in the second set against the French Open finalist from 2019.
Osaka only returned to the tennis stage in Tokyo after a two-month break from the tournament and competed as the top favorite at the summer games in her home country.
At the opening ceremony, the 23-year-old had lit the Olympic flame, thus creating the climax.
Previously, she had withdrawn after the first round at the French Open in Paris at the end of May and made longer periods of depression public.
With her elimination, the surprises in the women's competition of the Olympic tournament continue.
The Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty and the third-placed Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus are no longer in the competition.