Naomi Osaka Withdraws From Melbourne Tennis Tournament With Injury, Australian Open Participation in Doubt

• Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Melbourne Summer Set before her game against Veronika Kudermetova
• Osaka withdrew from the Melbourne tournament saying that she had suffered an abdominal injury
• Fans are unsure whether the Australian Open defending champion will be fit in time to defend her title

Defending Australian Open women's champion Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the Melbourne Summer Set due to injury has left many wondering if she will be fit in time to defend her title.

The Melbourne Summer Set is a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open which sets to take place from 17 January 2022.

Osaka had made it to the semi-finals of the Melbourne Summer Set before withdrawing due to an abdominal injury, the Australian Open confirmed on Twitter.

She was due to face Veronika Kudermetova from Russia in the semi-final, IOL confirmed. Osaka returned to tennis action after four months away and was competing in the tournament to prepare herself for her defence of the Australian Open title.

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Fans on social media have taken to the news with mixed reactions. Supporters of the Japanese star wished her well and a speedy recovery ahead of the Australian Open, while others felt she shouldn't have entered the tournament only to pull out without completing it.

@wtaaddict:

"Lame. Don't enter the draw if you don't intend on finishing. Did the same thing last year."

@mtinap

"Warning label. Do not buy a ticket to the final of a pre slam tournament expecting to see Osaka."

@shell_hickin

"Oh that’s so sad. Poor thing. Let’s hope she’ll recover and be feeling better sooner than later."

@1NDILEF:

"That very sad after a long preparation and many hours of training a speedy recovery to her"

@OrvilleLloyd:

"Lame Osaka did the exact same thing last year. The WTA needs really leadership on this. Osaka has a pattern she has done this plenty of times."

@KyndaCurtis:

"Of course... can never finish a tournament!"

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Celebration as top tennis star released from detention in Australia

20-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic is now free to enter Australia and stands a good chance to play at this month’s Aussie Open after he was released from detention earlier on Monday January 10, Sports Brief reported.

The Serbian had arrived in Australia to compete in the Open holding what he thought was a valid medical exemption to vaccination rules, stating that he had been infected with Covid last month and recovered.

But border guards rejected the documents and tore up his visa, with the multiple Grand Slam winner thrown into detention at a Melbourne Hotel while he waited for his appeal to come before the courts.