It's a new blow for the Australian Open after the withdrawal of world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz on Friday due to a right leg injury.
Two-time tournament champion Naomi Osaka withdrew from the first Grand Slam of the year on Sunday just a week before its start, organizers announced.
“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open.
She will be missed at AO2023,” the tournament tweeted.
No reason for the withdrawal of the Japanese star was however given.
American Venus Williams will also not be in the game after being injured last week at the WTA tournament in Auckland.
A fall to 42nd place in the world rankings
Champion in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021, Osaka has not played a competitive match since withdrawing from a tournament in Tokyo in September following abdominal pain and tumbled to 42nd place in the world rankings.
The four-time Grand Slam winner has previously opened up about her mental health issues and has spent all of 2022 outside the top 10, suffering first-round defeats at Roland Garros and the US Open.
She withdrew from Wimbledon due to an Achilles heel injury.
Speaking at the Pan Pacific Open in September, the 25-year-old admitted to going through "more lows than highs" in 2022.
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Australian Open 2023
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