Naomi Osaka withdraws from 2023 Australian Open as concerns mount over tennis future

After this past week saw the tournament questioning her whereabouts, Naomi Osaka has officially withdrawn from the 2023 Australian Open which begins on January 16.

Osaka has not played since September and was at long odds to make the tournament due to photos surfacing of her on holiday with boyfriend, rapper Cordae.

“Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023,” Open officials tweeted on Sunday.

Champion in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021 officially entered the initial entry list but only returned to LA last week. Previously she took a mental health break after sitting out the 2021 French Open with depression and anxiety revealed as the reasons.

This has led to many discussing whether she will return at all in 2023 but at least at the Australian Open, it is another blow to a tournament which doesn't include Carlos Alcaraz either due to injury reasons.