Naomi Osaka withdraws from Billie Jean King Cup Finals, ending 2024 comeback season

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has announced she will be withdrawing from the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, putting an end to her 2024 season.

The Japanese superstar put her tennis career on hold for 18 months, as she gave birth to her first daughter last year. Osaka began preparations to return to the WTA tour soon after, making her return in Brisbane in January 2024.

The former World No.1 sustained a back injury at the Beijing Open, forcing her to withdraw from her fourth round match against Coco Gauff. After withdrawing from the subsequent Hong Kong Open due to the lingering back issue, the 27-year old announced she would be unable to compete at the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup, which kicks off on November 13, 2024.

"I’m really sorry that I have had to withdraw from competing at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open and the rest of this tennis season." said Osaka.

With the Billie Jean King Cup being her final tournament on the WTA calendar this season, Osaka calls an end to a comeback season that saw her show glimpses of the form which took her to the apex of the game.