Japan’s Naomi Osaka, 10th in the world, forfeited an injury Saturday hours before playing the final of the Cincinnati tournament and two days before her first game of the US Open. The title therefore goes to Victoria Azarenka.
“I’m so sorry to have to retire on injury.” Naomi Osaka had to forfeit just before her match against Victoria Azarenka on Saturday in the final of the Cincinnati tournament. The Belarusian therefore wins the competition, which she had already won in 2013.
Naomi Osaka explained that she suffered a strained left thigh. An injury contracted in the second set of his semi-final against Elise Mertens (6-2, 7-6). “I did not recover as I hoped,” lamented the Japanese, 10th in the world.
Uncertainty for his presence at the US Open
She had already almost not played this semi-final, announcing Wednesday her withdrawal from the tournament to protest against police violence in the United States after the Jacob Blake affair, named after a black man shot several times in the back. by a policeman. But the organizers having in the process decided to suspend one day the men’s and women’s tournaments in a more general protest, Naomi Osaka had agreed to resume. “The week has been filled with emotions for me and I want to thank everyone for the avalanche of support,” she says of this.
Will Naomi Osaka be awarded for her entry into the US Open on Monday night session? No information was immediately communicated.
As for Victoria Azarenka, 59th in the world, this is her 21st WTA title. The first since Miami 2016. She had drawn an end to the 2017 season to devote herself to her battle for custody of her son.
